A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

ChatGPT image description: David Bowie and Bing Crosby sit in a festive Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day, staring in shock at a tiny pair of denim overalls pulled from a bowl of Mrs. Murphy’s chowder. Shamrocks, Irish flags, and dark pints surround them as the absurd discovery drips chowder onto the table. 🍀

902. Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder

March 16, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder.

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

ChatGPT image description: A herd of goats stands on hind legs in a lush vineyard, eagerly eating clusters of ripe wine grapes from the vines. Some goats forage on fallen grapes below. In the background, a rustic stone winery with tiled roofs sits under a clear blue sky, framed by rolling hills.

899. Wine From Grapes Grazed by Goats

March 09, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking wine from grapes grazed by goats.

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

Goats Do Roam Red - Fairview Marketplace
What is Côtes du Rhône? | Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Mississippi Pot Roast {The BEST Pot Roast EVER} - Belle of the Kitchen
Cryptosporidium, an important enteric pathogen in goats – A review - ScienceDirect
A Simple Alcohol-based Method of Oocyst Inactivation for Use in the Development of Detection Assays for Cryptosporidium - ScienceDirect
Effect of Organic Acids and Hydrogen Peroxide on Cryptosporidium parvum Viability in Fruit Juices - ScienceDirect
The Cryptosporidium Problem in Water and Food Supplies - ScienceDirect

Image description: These are the actual veggie wings and Dr. Don’s actual unwashed hands.

898. Flipping Veggie Wings With Unwashed Hands

March 06, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from flipping veggie wings with unwashed hands.

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

ChatGPT image description: A fluffy orange cat sits on a kitchen floor, squinting and wrinkling its nose in clear disgust at a stainless steel water bowl filled with cloudy, debris-laden water. The cat’s expression conveys strong refusal, as if judging the water unfit to drink.

896. Not Washing a Cats Water Bowl for a Week

March 02, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from not washing a pets water bowl for a week.

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

ChatGPT image description: Two bearded, leather-clad bikers crouch over a battered pot, poaching eggs in murky, trash-filled water. Steam rises as grimy hands crack eggs, motorcycles looming behind them in a rough, unsanitary outdoor scene.

890. Hairy Bikers Poached Eggs in Dirty Water

February 16, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using the Hairy Bikers egg poaching method.

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

ChatGPT image description: A person in a beige apron uses a spatula to scoop glossy, melted chocolate from a stainless steel fondue fountain into a mason jar. Thick chocolate drips down the tiers as the jar fills, suggesting the chocolate is being carefully saved for reuse later.

889. Re-Using Chocolate From a Chocolate Fondue Fountain

February 13, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from re-using chocolate from a chocolate fondue fountain.

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

Image description: Actual image from the TV show.

870. A Smoothie Made With a Cordless Drill

December 31, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from making a smoothie using a cordless drill.

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

ChatGPT image description: A worried epidemiologist in a white lab coat examines filthy, crusted buffet tongs beside a plate of food. Set in a restaurant buffet with warm lighting, his furrowed brow and uneasy expression highlight concern over contamination and poor sanitation.

867. Using Tongs

December 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using tongs to pick up food.

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

Post by @bharrap.bsky.social — Bluesky

ChatGPT image description: A whole raw chicken sits submerged in a blue cooler filled with water, while an aquarium pump shoots a spray upward. Several bright orange goldfish swim around the chicken. The scene is surreal, mixing food storage with aquarium elements in an oddly calm, brightly lit setup.

866. Thawing Chicken With an Aquarium Pump

December 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using an aquarium pump to circulate the water to aid in thawing a chicken in a cooler of water.

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

ChatGPT image description: A slim-probe digital food thermometer is held under a running faucet, its metal tip directly in the water stream. The display reads 84°F. Water splashes around the stainless-steel sink, creating droplets and motion. The close-up composition emphasizes cleaning the temperature probe after use.

865. Cleaning a Food Thermometer With Just Water

December 19, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cleaning a food thermometer with just water.

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

ChatGPT image description: A small blue-and-white pill hovers above an empty bathroom sink, caught mid-bounce. The smooth white basin and metal drain create a clean, simple backdrop, while the faucet and tiled wall add muted detail. The scene feels quiet and precise, focused on the moment before the pill falls again.

863. Taking a Pill Dropped in the Bathroom Sink

December 15, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from taking a pill dropped in the bathroom sink for less than five seconds.

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

ChatGPT image description: A cheerful hippie in a tie-dye shirt and headband steps out of a used clothing store, carrying a huge bundle of secondhand clothes. He smiles behind round sunglasses as he walks past the brick storefront, overflowing garments in his arms suggesting a successful thrift haul.

862. Wearing "New" Clothes Without Washing

December 12, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of wearing "new" (to you) clothes without washing first.

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

ChatGPT image description: A stern Swiss Guard in a traditional striped uniform carefully cleans his teeth with the toothpick from a Swiss Army knife. Painted in a classical oil style, he focuses intently, unaware of how absurdly mundane the task looks beside his ceremonial halberd and dignified Renaissance attire.

853. Using a Swiss Army Knife Toothpick

November 21, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using a swiss army knife toothpick.

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

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 👍🏼

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 👍🏼

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 ☣️

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: 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 👍🏼

A man at a baseball stadium concession stand holds a hamburger, frowning at a messy stack of cheese slices on a tray. Another person’s hand reaches in to grab a slice, emphasizing the communal, slightly unsanitary feel. The baseball field is visible in the background.

826. Ballpark Cheeseburger With Self-Serve Sticky Cheese

September 19, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating Ballpark cheeseburger made with with self-serve sticky cheese handled by others.

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