We Shed Thousands Of Microbes Every Second
We all have to admit something: whenever there is dirt in our house, the air smells awkward or we just encounter something that is not clean, we do not blame ourselves. The dog did it, the cat did it, maybe even the last person who visited our home did something, but we never did it. What is interesting to know is that humans are walking bacteria nests.
We are actually one of the main reasons why there is so much pollution around us. We shed thousands of microbes every second because of insignificant actions: we exhale, our hair falls off, we are shedding our skin. In short, the fact that we exist generates microbes. And this has only been discovered now. We have been like this since forever, bodies that shelter microbes both on and within us.
This truth was confirmed by Adam Altrichter, a respected microbial ecologist within the University of Oregon. Altrichter confessed that we have never been “sterile organisms” and that our existence has practically helped microbes developed through time.
You might be wondering how bad the situation is and the truth is that the answer will either terrify you or not. According to estimations, human beings shed approximately one million particles every hour. Note that we said particles. Only some of them are bacteria. It was unknown until now how much of a nuisance this could of particles was, but scientists did come up with a way to measure it.
In order to properly do so, 11 volunteers were asked to participate in an “experiment” to determine how bad things can get. Moreover, the candidates were asked not to shower. They were dressed in shorts and tank tops, then put into a sterile room for a few hours. The scientists then had to simply collect microbe samples from the air a few hours at a time.
What did they find? A large number of bacteria from volunteers’ body parts: mouth, nose, guts, genitals, lungs, tracts and skin as well. But it did not stop here. Eight out the 11 candidates had such a “unique” cloud that could be traced right back to them. Talk about stinky people.
Either way, it is pretty interesting to think that these clouds grow and develop around us throughout our life span. Every person you come in contact with, everybody you hug or work with, they all have it. And we never know about it!
Photo Credits brevis.com
