Ashley Hagen

March 23, 2026 Can coffee stunt your growth—or microbiome? We’re hitting a 100-myth milestone! From lizard blood to garden hacks and raw chicken, Michael Schmidt, Ph.D., debunks the wildest microbial urban legends. We're back with the 6th edition of Microbial Myths, where we put microbial-related urban legends, superstitions and home remedies to the test! To date, we’ve tackled over 100 myths, from the commonly accepted to completely bizarre.

Feb. 27, 2025 From the commonly accepted to completely bizarre, we put microbial-related urban legends, superstitions and home remedies to the test! We're back with the 5th edition of Microbial Myths, where we put microbial-related urban legends, superstitions and home remedies to the test! To date, we’ve tackled over 70 myths, from the commonly accepted to completely bizarre. Watch all the Microbial Myths and subscribe to our YouTube for hundreds of hours of microbiology videos.

Effective communication is one of the most powerful tools in a scientist’s toolbox. Research must be shared to spark meaningful action (think policy, funding and community engagement), and one’s message and delivery can have a substantial impact (think public health interventions and conservation initiatives).