This is an I-Hart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

Howdy, Extraordinaries?

We are always looking for a reason to bring Dr. Katrina Whiteson, our favorite microbiologist,

back on the show, and we've found one.

So today we're going to talk about the good and bad of what bathing does to our microbiome,

and we'll chat about how bacteria contribute to each of our unique sense.

Welcome to Daniel and Kelly's Hygienic Universe.

Music Welcome to Daniel and Kelly's Hygienic Universe. Hi, I'm Daniel.

I'm a particle physicist who likes to think about aliens.

And contrary to popular mythology, I really do

stay quite clean.

Hi, I'm Kelly Weiner-Smith. I study parasites and space. And I also enjoy a regular shower.

And I appreciate, Daniel, that you defy stereotypes about your community.

We are all individuals.

So tell me, Kelly, have your hygiene habits changed since you moved out onto the farm?

Do you feel like, I'm just farm fresh all the time?

Or do you feel like, wow, I just touched a goat.

I need to go wash my hands. I do wash my hands after petting the goats.

And when I know that I'm going to be mucking the stalls, which pretty much means picking up

large piles of hay and feces, I move my shower from the morning to the afternoon so that it can

happen after all of that poop dust has landed in my hair.

...