A scientific study performed in the University of Surrey for years has finally
come to the attention of the general public. This study has confirmed an apparently terrifying and little-known fact: smartphones have bacteria. Lots of it. In fact, they don’t just
have bacteria–they are
crawling with it. And it’s not just some phones–it’s all phones. It’s YOUR phone. Bacteria is on your phone
right now.
Just try not to panic, because we have photographic evidence. Germophobes should probably look away.
These samples are taken from the phones of college students in the University of Surrey in the UK and cultured in petri dishes. These photos were taken after three days of growth. Gross. You should probably never touch your cell phone again, at least not without gloves. Or a hazmat suit. Probably both.
All joking aside, these images are a little disturbing, but perfectly normal. So, before you vow to only touch you phone with disinfectant wipes, I want you to consider something that
every other article covering this two-year-old study seems to have forgotten: Bacteria is
everywhere. Everything you touch has bacteria, and not all of it is harmful. In fact, most of it is not harmful, and your cell phone is no exception to this rule.
Instead of causing a panic about more bacteria, I’m going to suggest that everyone start doing what you probably should be doing anyway: disinfect your phone periodically. I’m not talking every day, but once a week or every couple of weeks, just to be safe. Oh, and wash and disinfect your hands.
See? Simple. Now go put that hazmat suit away and get back to your smartphone-loving life. You can thank me later.]]>
