Vertical News: What's Really Growing On Your Smartphone?

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What's Really Growing On Your Smartphone?

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Researchers from the University of Surrey used an experiment to determine how much bacteria resides on the average smartphone. The result was a varied assortment of bacterial cultures, but prominent among them was Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria that causes Staph infection when introduced into the body through open wounds. It is commonly found on many surfaces, especially human skin and in the nasal passages. Another bacteria, Bacillus mycoides was also present on the phones, which were imprinted into a growth solution resulting in surprising images and results. Bacillus mycoides is commonly found in the soil, suggesting the phones tested had come into contact with dirt recently.

By medical standards smartphones are filthy, possibly carrying more germs than a toilet. This finding suggests that mobile phones that go with us everywhere and are rarely cleaned, unlike toilets, which are stationary and frequently disinfected, are potential hazards to health (Victoria Woollaston, “How Filthy Is Your Phone?” The Daily Mail at DailyMail.co.uk, January 15, 2015).

The Bible puts a high standard on cleanliness and sanitation through many of the laws outlined in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, in particular. This was a gift of understanding from God that protected those who followed these laws and benefited them with improved health and protection from infection. Drawing from that understanding we can know that it is important to be cleanly in our lives now, even down to giving our smartphones a good swipe with a suitable disinfectant every now and then to prevent the spread of disease or infection.