Where the Germs Are: A Scientific Safari

Nicholas Bakalar9780471155898, 0471155896

Germs are everywhere, and for most readers, longtime science writer Bakalar’s intriguing, solidly based safari through the world of germs will introduce striking discoveries and useful scientific thought processes. For those in the general population, the kitchen is probably the room with the greatest potential for trouble with germs; on the other, er, hand, toilet seats are generally among the home’s cleanest locales – surely an encouragement to potential readers of this book and related literature. Although regular hand washing can kill off or slow down infections just about anywhere, Bakalar’s scrutiny of other “wisdom” (mostly advertising and popular) yields more mixed assessments. Pet keeping, for instance, can improve the psychological outlook of young and old but also spread germs, because even adopting animals from pounds often requires the exchange of genuinely filthy lucre. Meanwhile, Bakalar’s explorations in “cleaner than clean” grocery store aisles and of the bottled water proposed for healthful drinking illuminate the brightest pages of current financial media. A glossary helpfully translates widely used but often not as widely known acronyms and other terms.

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Table of contents :
Front Cover……Page 1
Contents……Page 8
Preface……Page 10
Acknowledgments……Page 12
1
Microbes
AN INTRODUCTION……Page 14
2
Hungry? Let’s Eat
THE CONTAMINATED KITCHEN……Page 30
3
Toilet Training
WASHING HANDS IS
THE BEST REVENGE……Page 62
4
Whiter Whites and
Brighter Colors
HEALTHY LAUNDRY……Page 74
5
Clean Up That Room
KIDS AND MICROBES……Page 84
6
What Love’s Got to Do with It
MICROBES AND YOUR SEX LIFE……Page 111
7
Wild Kingdom
PETS AND THEIR GERMS……Page 134
8
Up Your Nose
THE FLU AND THE COLD……Page 149
9
Bottled or Tap
WATER, AND WHAT’S IN IT……Page 165
10
Fresh Air and Sunshine
OUTDOOR FUN WITH MICROBES……Page 177
11
Paint the Town Red
GERMS IN PUBLIC PLACES……Page 202
12
The Antiseptic Supermarket
PRODUCTS THAT DO SOMETHING,
PRODUCTS THAT DO NOTHING, AND
PRODUCTS THAT ACTUALLY DO HARM……Page 228
Glossary……Page 240
Notes……Page 256
Index……Page 268
Back Cover……Page 276
LinkToy : )~……Page 0