The world is filled with disgusting toilets. You might personally prefer toilets that smell okay and aren’t covered in filth, but try telling that to whichever organs are involved in making you really need to use the bathroom. It has happened before, and it will happen again: you’ll be at a public bus station, or a…
Ever since the 19th century, when disease was first linked to sewage-contaminated water, humans have gone to great lengths to escape their own filth. Meanwhile, animals have gone on reveling in the stuff—eating it, strategically dropping it, flinging it around just to pass the time, etc. Same goes for mud, piss,…
For every genuinely clever device that manages to succeed on Kickstarter, there are 1,000 other ridiculous crowdfunding campaigns that thankfully don’t succeed. There’s a chance you might roll your eyes at the Nail Capsule, unless you’re not a monster and hate the thought of fingernail clippings flying all over the…
Keeping our hands clean is the best way to prevent the spread of infections, so it’s surprising to learn that that Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) disagree on how to do it right. A new study shows that the six-step hand-washing technique promoted by the WHO is the better…
A lot of products, including toothbrushes, rely on the physical testing of prototype after prototype to help perfect a design. But it’s an expensive and time consuming process, so researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a virtual brushing simulator that promises to revolutionize how toothbrushes are…
Our dentists constantly remind us to replace our toothbrushes every 90 days so they’re most effective at battling plaque, but how often do we really remember to do that? To make it easier, Brush Buddies has created the 90 Day Brush featuring a timer and built-in LCD display that reminds users exactly when it’s time to…
Most of us are happy to take an ignorance-is-bliss approach to the cleanliness of the mattress we sleep on every single night. But the truth is, your bed could be swarming with millions of feasting dust mites leaving a staggering amount of droppings behind. So now you understand why Dyson’s created a new hand vac…
Before Listerine found its true commercial calling as a mouthwash, it was a general purpose antiseptic meant to be used on cuts, sore throats, dandruff, and, most horrifying of all, down there. "It possesses great penetrating power," touts the ad!
It took me a second to realize that these two common use items were not only made of Lego bricks, but to really see the size of both of them. These two creations, by Carl Merriam, made for the HARDnuary building contest are really cool. I really wish he would've thrown a minifigure in there to show just how gigantic…
The term breathalyzer is most commonly associated with a device used by law enforcement to measure someone's blood alcohol content after they've been pulled over. But with a few tweaks made to the chemicals used in a breathalyzer's sensor, the device can also be used for detecting other problems. Instead of measuring…
If you've ever had the sneaking suspicion that hand dryers in public bathrooms just spray bacteria into the air, then you'll want to look at this spatterful photo. A trio of scientists set out to test exactly how hand dryers aerosolize bacteria, and the results are gross.
How much was the last toothbrush you bought? Probably not enough to be worth remembering. That sort of casual indifference to your toiletries is a kind of luxury for those without any luxuries at all. More specifically, for those without a $4,000 toothbrush staring them in the teeth every morning.
With enough data, even the most seemingly random, disconnected sequence of events can be teased apart and explained through the power of statistical analysis. And thanks to the reams upon reams of data points collected through his hit dating website, OKCupid co-founder Christian Rudder explores the kinks, tendencies,…
I don't like shaving. In fact, I don't really know anybody that does. It's messy. It's time consuming. It's sometimes painful. I started using an electric shaver a while back, but I've still never been happy with it. The new Norelco 9700 gives me hope.
Since we dirty buggers have already made the case against antibacterial soap, it's time to consider the case against all soap. And showers. Basically all hygiene as we know it in the 21st century. In the latest New York Times Magazine, Julia Scott gives up soap for a mist of bacteria usually found in dirt—and finds…
If you're someone who regularly washes your hands after going to the bathroom, statistics say that at least one of the people sitting on either side of you does not. And since personal hygiene clearly isn't motivation enough for these bathroom bandits, Safeguard is resorting to good, old-fashioned public shaming to…
Removing unwanted body hair has been a part of human hygiene since the dawn of history. Over the centuries, this practice has served to denote everything from high-ranking social status to acts of contrition. And as the tradition of shaving has evolved in step with global culture, so too have the tools of the trade. …
We all know we should be brushing more diligently several times a day, but without our dentists regularly shaming us into better oral hygiene, that rarely happens. So a Paris-based company called Kolibree has created what it claims to be the world's first app-connected toothbrush that will encourage better brushing…
Who doesn't like smooth, exfoliated skin? How about fish living in the Great Lakes?
The bacon-everything craze has mostly passed, thankfully, and things seem to be getting back to normal. The constant barrage of bacon Band-Aids and bacon office supplies is over. Bacon personal care products are apparently another story, though.
