The next time you go to the ATM, make sure you bring hand sanitizer. You’ll need A LOT of it.
Like maybe a bucket.
Some new studies have shown just how disgusting cash is.
Popular Mechanics reports:
The list of things found on our dollars includes DNA from our pets, traces of drugs, and bacteria and viruses that cause disease.
The findings demonstrate how money can silently record human activities, leaving behind so-called “molecular echoes.”
‘Molecular echoes‘. No, that doesn’t sound ominous at all…
In April, a new study identified over a hundred different strains of bacteria on dollar bills circulating in New York City. Some of the most common bugs on our bills included Propionibacterium acnes, a bacteria known to cause acne, and Streptococcus oralis, a common bacteria found in our mouths.
Experts can even trace which foods are predominantly consumed in a region by analyzing the DNA and bacteria on ATM machines.
We don’t leave only food behind. Traces of cocaine can be found on almost 80 percent of dollar bills. Other drugs, including morphine, heroin, methamphetamine and amphetamine, can also be found on bills, though less commonly than cocaine.
Now that is ‘filthy lucre‘!
Did you know that there were traces of cocaine on your cash?
Do you suddenly feel like doing this:
Will THIS make you less likely to use cash?
Are you grateful for the ‘tap’ and phone payment options?
Let us know in the comments.
