It's a simultaneously beautiful and disgusting work of art. Tasha Sturm of Cabrillo College in Aptos, California sent her 8 and 1/2 year old son outside to play. When he returned, she pressed his hand into a large plate of trypticase soy agar. The bacteria on his hand grew into this lovely formation--a vibrant array of colors and fractal shapes. Sturm describes it in more detail in the comments at this post.
-via Colossal
It'd be interesting to see a control done with the same kid just after they'd washed their hands. And then again after they'd washed them properly, which in my experience no eight year old does...or can.
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On the surface (no pun intended) this is complete yuck. Still, crawling on the floor and playing outside are what builds up a kid's immune system.
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That's it? I would've thought there'd be more as the human body is covered by about a trillion bacteria.
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Excellent - although I would take issue with your choice of the word "disgusting."
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