A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

The image depicts a blonde-haired, bearded man standing outdoors, gently kissing a raven. He has a peaceful expression, and the raven appears calm. The background is a soft, blurred natural setting with trees and sky. The lighting is serene, highlighting the man’s flowing hair and the raven’s sleek feathers.

743. Kissing a Raven

March 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from kissing a raven.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

Ragnar raven in a lovely chatty and affectionate mood. | Raven Talking | TikTok
Julie Andrews – My Favorite Things Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
Elton John - Rocket Man (Official Music Video) - YouTube
Salmonella ravens - Google Scholar
Salmonella in Sheep in Iceland - PMC
Prevalence, Characterization and Antibiotic Resistance of Salmonella Isolates in Large Corvid Species of Europe and North America Between 2010 and 2013 - Janecko - 2015 - Zoonoses and Public Health - Wiley Online Library
Bacterial Diversity in Feces of Wild Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures and Common Ravens from the Pacific Northwest Coast, U.S.A | bioRxiv
Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper (Lyrics) - YouTube

The image features a small, vibrant parrot perched on a person's finger, holding a tiny spoon in its beak and stirring a steaming cup of coffee. The background is warm and cozy, with soft lighting. The parrot appears curious and focused, adding a whimsical touch to the charming scene.

742. Stirring Your Coffee With "Pickle" the Barrista Bird Daily

March 07, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of letting a parrot stir you coffee with a spoon every day.

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

The image shows an open dishwasher in a modern kitchen. Inside, along with regular dishes, sits a very dirty bird feeder covered in grime, dirt, and birdseed remnants. The scene looks unusual and messy, highlighting the contrast between household cleaning and outdoor grime in an unexpected setting.

741. Using a Dishwasher to Wash a Bird Feeder

March 05, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using a dishwasher to wash a bird feeder.

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

The image depicts a caring parent using a snot sucker to remove mucus from their infant's nose. The baby appears calm, while the parent has a concerned yet gentle expression. Virus particles swirl around, glowing to emphasize the presence of germs. The setting is a cozy home with soft lighting.

740. Using a "Snot Sucker" With Ones Mouth

March 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks posed by using a "snot sucker" with ones mouth.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

A blonde-haired toddler with chubby cheeks sits on the floor, mischievously placing a chicken nugget into their tiny slipper. They wear colorful pajamas, and the cozy home setting has scattered toys in the background. The child's playful expression and clear action make the scene both adorable and amusing.

739. Nugget Shoes

February 28, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from a toddler placing chicken nuggets in their shoes.

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

he image depicts a cheerful Girl Scout at an outdoor cookie-selling booth. Among the cookies on display, one features a bold hazardous-waste symbol, creating an eerie contrast to the otherwise wholesome scene. The background suggests a typical suburban or park setting, reinforcing the unexpected and unsettling detail.

738. Girl Scout Cookies

February 26, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from Girl Scout Cookies

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

A person is drying their hands with a slightly dirty, wrinkled hand towel in a home bathroom. The towel shows visible signs of frequent use, with light stains and a worn texture. The background features a bathroom sink and mirror, emphasizing an everyday, lived-in atmosphere.

737. Using a Bath Towel (Laundered Weekly) to Dry Hands After Using the Bathroom and Before Preparing Food

February 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using weekly laundered bath towel to dry hands after using the bathroom and before preparing food.

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

A man in cozy pajamas stands in his softly lit bedroom, pouring a glass of water into a sleek white humidifier on the floor. The room features a neatly made bed, a bedside table with a lamp, and a window with slightly open curtains, creating a warm, calm atmosphere.

736. Reusing Old Sleep-Water in Cold Humidifiers

February 21, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using water from a bedside glass to refill a humidifier.

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

A rugged, bare-chested Canadian man with a bushy beard smiles while holding a rice ball. His wild hair and visible chest hair add to his outdoorsy charm. In the background, a shy Japanese girl blushes, covering her face with one hand, standing in a cozy, traditional Japanese-style kitchen.

735. Armpit Riceballs

February 19, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making riceballs in an armpit.

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

Chopped onions, ginger, and garlic are neatly sun-dried on a clean wire rack over a wooden table in a modern suburban patio. The bright, soft sunlight highlights the fresh produce. The backdrop features a well-maintained backyard with a green lawn, stylish outdoor furniture, and a serene, upscale ambiance.

734. Sun Drying Onions, Ginger and Garlic for 4 Days

February 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of sun drying onions, ginger and garlic for 4 days.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

A small strawberry sits at the bottom of an absurdly deep kitchen sink garbage disposal filled with a chaotic spiral of countless sharp blades. The exaggerated quantity of blades contrasts humorously with the strawberry’s vulnerability. A big red button labeled "Garbage Disposal" looms in the background, enhancing the scene’s comedic tension.

733. Ben's Garbage Disposal Strawberry

February 14, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a strawberry that has fallen into a garbage disposal.

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

The image shows a professor in a lab coat and glasses, using a tip-sensitive digital thermometer to measure the temperature at the center of a container of vegetarian chili. The chili is on a refrigerator shelf in a home kitchen, with the fridge open, revealing various food items.

732. Don's Slow Cooling Veggie Chili

February 12, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of slow cooling vegetarian chili.

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

The image depicts a cyclist in professional gear standing beside their road bike on a scenic route. They are licking an energy chew, preparing to stick it to the bike frame. The background features mountains or countryside, with early morning light setting a serene atmosphere for the long ride ahead.

731. Sticking Energy Chews to a Bike's Frame for Easy Access

February 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from sticking energy chews to a bike's frame for easy access.

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

The image depicts a person at a table, holding a fork near their mouth with a surprised expression. They are about to accidentally eat sprouts that have fallen off a Chia Pet, which sits nearby with missing greenery. The scene is humorous, lighthearted, and brightly lit.

730. Accidentally Eating Some Seeds or Sprouts From a Chia Pet

February 07, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks posed by accidentally eating some seeds or sprouts from a Chia Pet.

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

The image shows a slightly older, balding Canadian professor with short blonde hair, glasses, and a short beard on a Brazilian farm. He looks nervous as he holds a tiny piece of raw milk Gouda cheese. Behind him are lush green fields, grazing cows, a rustic barn, and a Brazilian flag waving.

729. Eating Raw Milk Gouda Cheese in an Unregulated Brazilian Facility

February 05, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks that Ben faced when eating raw milk gouda cheese in an unregulated Brazilian facility.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

The image shows a transparent plastic container filled with brown sugar, with dry, crumbly pieces of stale bread mixed in. The container is placed on a clean kitchen countertop with a neutral background, emphasizing the sugar’s granular texture and the contrasting roughness of the bread.

728. Using Stale Bread in Brown Sugar

February 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using stale bread to keep brown sugar moist.

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

The image shows a person loading dishes into an open dishwasher in a modern, well-lit kitchen. The dishes are visibly contaminated with red streaks and residue from raw meat juices, emphasizing cross-contamination risks. The individual, dressed casually, appears unaware of the contamination, with clean countertops and appliances surrounding them.

727. Placing Raw Meat Dishes Directly in the Dishwasher

January 31, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from not pre-washing raw meat dishes and placing them directly in the dishwasher.

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

A close-up of a sunny-side-up egg cooking in a textured black pan. The yolk is vibrant yellow, and the whites are cooked with light browning at the edges. Subtle, glowing, microscopic virus-like shapes are faintly embedded in the egg whites, blending naturally into the scene under warm lighting.

726. Sunny Side Up Egg From a Bird Infected With Bird Flu

January 29, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from sunny side up egg from a bird infected with bird flu.

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

The image depicts a man standing next to a bulldozer on a landfill. He appears worried, gazing at a pile of chicken feathers, beaks, and feet amidst the trash. The setting is overcast, with debris scattered around, creating a somber and tense atmosphere.

725. Landfilling Ground Up HPAI Infected Chickens Without PPE

January 27, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of workers landfilling ground up highly pathogenic avian influenza infected chickens without personal protective equipment.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

A whimsical scene of a bearded professor in a tweed jacket sipping diet cola while licking orange cheese dust off his fingers from Cheetos. Surrounded by scattered books and papers in a cozy academic office, his quirky enjoyment adds charm to the playful, lighthearted atmosphere.

724. Licking Cheetos Dust Off Your Fingers

January 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from licking Cheetos dust off your fingers.

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