A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

ChatGPT image description: A nervous person at their desk, clutching a tiny chewing-gum box like it contains the secrets of the universe, while Reddit menaces them from the laptop screen.
Don: this seems like the same worried guy we've seen before…

849. Eating a Hollywood Chewing-Gum Cardboard Box

November 12, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a cardboard box from Hollywood chewing-gum.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

Is it safe to eat cardboard? : r/stupidquestions
Hollywood 2fresh (FreshenUp) Chewing Gum - Peppermint | EVN
Green Mint Chewing-Gum Hollywood | Buy Online | My French Grocery
Full article: Food contact materials: an effect-based evaluation of the presence of hazardous chemicals in paper and cardboard packaging
Pica: A Common Condition that is Commonly Missed - An Update Review | Bentham Science Publishers
Pica practices, anemia, and oral health outcomes: a systematic review | BMC Oral Health

ChatGPT image description: A beautifully roasted turkey rests in a pan, stuffed with golden bread cubes and vegetables. A meat thermometer inserted directly into the stuffing reads 165°F, signaling safe doneness. The turkey’s crispy skin glistens, and the scene looks ready for a festive meal.
Don: And once again ChatGPT really does not understand thermometers or numbers on a scale. It doesn't really understand what a turkey might look like either.

848. Cooking Stuffing Inside the Turkey

November 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking stuffing inside the turkey.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

ChatGPT image description: A serious hockey coach in a trench coat stands before a brick wall, opening the coat to reveal colorful mouthguards neatly attached inside. He grips a hockey stick, looking intense and slightly suspicious, echoing the classic “street vendor with stolen goods” pose but with sports gear instead of watches.

847. Using a "Found" Pocket Mouth Guard

November 07, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a mouthguard from the coaches mouthguard pocket.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

ChatGPT image description: A wooden bedside table holds a clear mouthguard and a small spray bottle labeled “Ethanol and Propanol Disinfectant.” Soft, warm bedroom lighting and a pillow in the background suggest a nighttime routine. The scene feels tidy, practical, and focused on dental care and hygiene before sleep.

846. Spraying Mouthguard With Ethanol and Propanol

November 05, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from spraying mouthguard with ethanol and propanol.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

A cartoon chef-cat wearing a tall white hat stirs a bubbling pot on the stove, eyes wide in alarm. A smug brown mouse stands proudly on the spoon, unfazed by the chaos as tomatoes and sauce fly through the air in a lively, kitchen-mishap scene.

845. Family Dinner Into Which a Cat Dropped a Mouse

November 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating dinner into which a cat dropped a mouse.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

ChatGPT image description: A person in a nude-colored bodysuit labeled “KEEP OUT” runs across a stadium field at night, wearing a Michael Myers mask and holding a pumpkin candy bucket. Stadium lights and blurred spectators create a lively Halloween atmosphere, blending humor, mischief, and spooky festive energy.

844. Eating Candy Given to You by a Streaker

October 31, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating candy given to you by a streaker.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

843. Properly Cooked Isopod Fish Tongue Parasite

October 29, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a properly cooked isopod fish tongue parasite.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

842. Freezing Parboiled Potatoes in Large Masses

October 27, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks associated with freezing parboiled potatoes in bulk so they cool slowly.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

841. Watered Down Hand Soap

October 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using watered down hand soap.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

Influence of Soap Characteristics and Food Service Facility Type on the Degree of Bacterial Contamination of Open, Refillable Bulk Soaps - ScienceDirect

840. DIY French Burger Kit

October 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating food from a DIY french burger kit.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A slightly unappetizing pumpkin spice latte sits in a car cupholder. The drink’s foam has separated and darkened, leaving streaks of residue along the cup’s rim. A small, wrinkled pumpkin-shaped garnish rests on top, illuminated by natural light against the dark plastic interior, suggesting it’s been left for many hours.

839. 24 Hour Old Pumpkin Spice Latte

October 20, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking a 24 hour old pumpkin spice latte.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

DALL·E image text: A partially filled plastic jug of organic lemonade sits open in the back of a refrigerator. The yellow drink looks old but free of surface mold. Its red cap rests nearby, clean and mold-free. The label still shows a lemon with a moldy patch, suggesting past spoilage concerns.

838. Opened Refrigerated Organic Lemonade After 4 Weeks

October 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming opened organic lemonade refrigerated for 4 weeks.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

DALL·E image text: A young man with short dark hair holds an open box labeled “Teflon,” looking down with furrowed brows and a worried frown. He wears a plain brown T-shirt and stands against a neutral gray background, his expression showing concern or uncertainty about what’s inside the box.
I couldn’t create an image showing someone about to eat Teflon because intentionally ingesting nonfood, potentially harmful materials violates safety guidelines and our content rules. While small accidental Teflon flakes are usually inert, encouraging deliberate consumption of nonfood substances could mislead or promote unsafe behavior, so I provided a safer alternative.

837. Eating Powdered Teflon

October 15, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from deliberately eating powdered teflon.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

836. Canned Pet Food

October 13, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating canned pet food.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

835. "Cooking" a Wrapped Egg in a Compost Pile

October 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from cooking a wrapped egg in a compost pile.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

DALL·E image text: A frustrated person furiously scrubs a glass under a stream of steaming hot water from a faucet. Their face is tense and teeth clenched, with steam rising and water splashing in all directions. No soap is used, and their reddened hands show the heat of the scalding water.

834. Washing Drinking Glasses With Only Hot Water and Friction

October 08, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of washing drinking glasses with only hot water and friction.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

DALL·E image text: A cheerful British man with shoulder-length red-brown hair and a gap-toothed smile washes dishes in a cozy kitchen. He scrubs a soapy plate and places it into a white dish rack, with bubbles clinging to the dishes. Sunlight filters through a window, brightening the warm, homey space.

833. British Dishwashing Method

October 06, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using the British dishwashing method.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

832. Biting the Head Off a Bat or Dove

October 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from biting the head off a bat or a dove.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E image text: A white drip coffee maker sits on a beige countertop. The glass carafe is filled with dark coffee, while the clear water reservoir shows a small patch of green algae confined to the bottom left corner. The design is simple, clean, and highlighted by soft, even lighting.

831. Drinking Coffee Made With Water From a Reservoir With a Bit of Algae

October 01, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of drinking coffee made from a coffee maker that has algae growing in the transparent water reservoir.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

DALL·E image: A teenage hockey player in full gear holds up his skate and licks the icy blade. Wearing a black helmet, red jersey, and gloves, he leans in with his tongue touching the blade. The rink background is blurred, emphasizing his focused expression and the unusual act.

830. Eating Skate Ice

September 29, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating ice off of your hockey skates.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼