Author: Kirstin Fawcett

Dog owners tend to fall into one of two camps: Those who let their pups kiss them on the mouth and those who don’t. Some members of the former group defend their love of sloppy licks by saying a canine’s mouth is no dirtier than a person’s. But according to The New York Times, their muzzles actually teem with microorganisms that we, as humans, aren’t designed to battle.

Long story short, it’s not true that dogs’ mouths are more hygienic than ours. They contain as many microbes, and different ones from those that dwell in human saliva. Plus, some of the bacteria is zoonotic, meaning it can be passed from dogs to humans. For example, some common types of canine-transmitted zoonotic bacteria—including clostridium, E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter—can cause unlucky pet owners to develop gastrointestinal disease.

Meanwhile, dogs often sniff, lick, and eat gross things, including other animals’ fecal matter. It’s rare—but entirely possible—for a canine to transmit an intestinal parasite to its owner by licking them on the face.

Still, this knowledge shouldn’t relegate you to a life without doggy licks. Experts say it’s likely fine for a dog’s tongue to touch your skin, since it won’t absorb the saliva. But since a dog’s saliva and pathogens can be absorbed through the nose, mouth, and eyes, you should probably set some limits on face-licking. The occasional kiss probably won’t hurt you—but just to stay safe, make sure your dog is de-wormed, up-to-date on all its vaccinations, and stays away from other animals’ feces (all things you should already be doing as a responsible dog parent).

[h/t The New York Times]

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Artist Tim Kowalczyk’s mugs look like they’re fashioned from tattered cardboard scraps, but when you touch them, you realize they are carefully hand-hewn from clay. According to Bored Panda, Kowalczyk is a ceramics instructor at Illinois Central College. When the teacher isn’t molding young minds, he creates unique, corrugated dinnerware in his home studio.

“Pathetic, absurd, antiquated, banal or even garbage are words that best describe the objects I am drawn to,” Kowalczyk explains in an artist’s statement published on his website. “These types of objects hold my attention because of the stories they can tell and what they can mean. Many times I find objects at thrift stores, yard sales or the side of the road … I want people to see the beauty and narrative that is held within simple overlooked objects.”

Along with his cardboard-inspired mugs, Kowalczyk also makes ceramic plates, bowls, and ashtrays that mimic styrofoam, paper, and pegboard; tumblers that look like old tin cans; and trash-themed sculptures. View some of his mugs and cups below, or visit the artist’s Instagram or website to check out more works.

[h/t Bored Panda]

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Still searching for a Halloween costume? You probably shouldn’t draw inspiration from the creepy clown phenomenon that’s sweeping the nation, especially if you live in Kemper County, Mississippi. According to the Kemper County Messenger, the Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance earlier this week making it illegal for people of all ages to step outside in a clown costume, a clown mask, or even clown makeup until November 1. Break the law, and you’ll face a fine up to $150.

By now, unusual clown sightings have been reported in dozens of states across America—and Kemper County officials don’t want their home region to be next, or for the upcoming holiday to incite any panic. The phenomenon “has really gotten out of hand,” the Messenger quoted Kemper County Board President Johnny Whitsett as saying. If local residents happened to spot a clown hanging out in their own yards, “it wouldn’t be good.”

Hopefully, members of the World Clown Association don’t live in Kemper County—or else they will be out of a job until November.

[h/t Time]

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LynLee Boemer was born twice. While she was still in utero, CNN reports, doctors discovered that LynLee, now 4 months old, had a rare—and likely fatal—tumor. To save the unborn baby’s life, physicians removed her from the womb, performed emergency surgery, and placed her back inside her mother.

Baby With Tailbone Tumor Is “Born Twice” – Once For Surgery, Once For Real https://t.co/LvSdwXa553 via @lilsugar

— Moms and The City (@Momsandthecity) October 21, 2016

LynLee is the third child of Margaret Boemer of Plano, Texas. Boemer had an unusually rough pregnancy: She was originally expecting twins, but she lost one of the babies. Then, four months into her pregnancy, a routine ultrasound revealed that her surviving infant had a fetal tumor called sacrococcygeal teratoma, which grows from the coccyx, or tailbone. Occurring in one out of every 35,000 births, it’s relatively rare—yet it’s still one of the most common tumors doctors find in newborns, CNN reports.

The news was “very shocking and scary, because we didn’t know what that long word meant or what diagnosis that would bring,” Boemer told Carbonated.TV.

The tumor was sucking blood flow from the developing fetus and doctors were afraid the baby would soon die from heart failure. So when Boemer was nearly six months pregnant, doctors from Texas Children’s Hospital opened her uterus, removed LynLee from the womb, and operated on the tumor.

By then, the mass was nearly as large as LynLee. “Her heart stopped and she had to have blood but they were able to remove most of the tumor and place her back in,” Boemer told Texas news affiliate KPRC2.

After the surgery, the infant faced risks like premature birth and even death, but she—and her mother—got lucky: On June 6, 2016, Boemer delivered LynLee via C-section. She was healthy, and weighed 5 pounds, 5 ounces. Subsequent surgeries were required to remove the rest of the tumor, as was a lengthy recovery in the neonatal intensive care unit. Still, LynLee prevailed, and she was eventually deemed strong enough to send home.

Doctors had to remove her tailbone to prevent the tumor’s return, but aside from that, the Boemer family says she’s perfectly healthy. LynLee is now nearly five months old.

[h/t CNN]
 
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There are some debates you just can’t win: What’s the most iconic Star Wars film? Is Pepsi better than Coke? And when autumn finally rolls around, which Halloween candy is the best?

These arguments are likely a lost cause, but social brand review website Influenster decided to add to the candy conversation by identifying the most popular sweet in each state. They surveyed the preferences of over 40,000 community members, broke down the results by region, and made a map to display their findings. See which treats made the final cut below.

[h/t Influenster]

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Few movie props are as iconic as the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz (1939), but even cinematic treasures aren’t immune to the ravages of time. According to the Associated Press, the Smithsonian Institution—which owns one of the only surviving pairs of the shoes—has launched a Kickstarter campaign to conserve Judy Garland’s fancy footwear for a new era of museumgoers.

The MGM Studios prop department made Garland multiple pairs of the red sequined slippers, and in 1979 an anonymous donor gave one to the National Museum of American History. Today, the shoes are 80 years old, and badly in need of a little TLC. Their hue is dull, the sequins are flaking, the felt soles are battered, and they’re also beginning to fray. The Smithsonian wants to raise $300,000 for conservation efforts, and to construct a high-tech museum display case that simulates the optimal light, humidity, and temperature conditions to keep the ruby slippers bright and shiny.

The Smithsonian Institution is federally funded, but government money only covers about 70 cents of every dollar it needs to maintain its vast network of museums and research centers. The institution relies on private and corporate contributions for the rest, and they recently turned to crowdfunding. In 2015, the institution launched its first Kickstarter—a $700,000 campaign to preserve, digitize, and display the spacesuit Neil Armstrong wore during his historic moonwalk. Now, they’re hoping that a similar effort will save the slippers.

“This particular pair of ruby slippers really belongs to the American people, and so we thought as we sought support that we would invite the public to join us on this journey to help preserve them for the next generation,” said museum spokeswoman Melinda Machado in a statement quoted by the AP.

As of Wednesday, October 19, the Smithsonian’s Kickstarter had raised more than $140,000—meaning it will likely reach its $300,000 goal (and then some) by the fundraiser’s end on Wednesday, November 16. Contributors who pledge $10 or more will receive a The Wizard of Oz-themed gift, ranging from posters, to tote bags, to a lunch and group tour with a Smithsonian curator.

You can learn more in the Kickstarter campaign video below.

[h/t Associated Press]

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Prince’s ashes will spend the rest of eternity in Paisley Park. As People reports, the late singer’s remains are now interred in a custom-designed urn that’s a small-scale replica of Prince’s elaborate private estate and production complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Prince’s sister, Tyka Nelson, and nephew President Nelson teamed up with Foreverence—a Minnesota-based firm that uses 3D printing technology to make custom ceramic funeral urns—in order to design the receptacle. At 14 inches high by 18 inches long, the urn frame is the spitting image of Prince’s beloved home, right down to the glass skylights. It’s also decorated with Prince’s signature Love Symbol. (Naturally, it’s purple and bedazzled with crystals.) As for Prince’s ashes, they are stored inside the building’s front column.

The details don’t end there. Open the urn’s front wall, and inside you’ll find a faithful, dollhouse-sized reproduction of Paisley Park’s atrium, complete with white ornamental doves, working lights, a tiled floor emblazoned with a Love Symbol, and a replica of the late musician’s purple Yamaha piano.

Prince’s urn is now on display at the late singer’s home, which re-opened last week as a museum dedicated to the artist’s legacy. Check out some pictures below.

Here’s Prince’s amazing custom urn — and Lemmy’s and Weiland’s too https://t.co/dNTVgA8Jl3 pic.twitter.com/hg2WphxbLZ

— Stereogum (@stereogum) October 11, 2016

Prince’s urn. pic.twitter.com/W7igW73aYf

— Good Brother Steve (@SteveBennett7) October 10, 2016

[h/t People]

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Using only a crochet hook and lots of brown yarn, Stephanie Pokorny of Mentor, Ohio, created a one-of-a-kind, E.T.-inspired Halloween costume entirely by hand, The Huffington Post reports. The get-up might be referencing a 34-year-old movie, but it was custom-made for a much younger wearer: the crafter’s toddler.

Each fall, Pokorny—who describes herself to mental_floss as a “self-proclaimed Halloween addict”—teams up with family members to make a unique costume from scratch. “We live in Ohio and sometimes we have snow on Halloween, so it’s the perfect time to bust out the yarn,” said Pokorny, whose grandmother taught her to crochet when she was a teenager.

Pokorny’s past Halloween projects have included costumes for her son Jack, who turns two in November. She’s crocheted him a Alice in Wonderland-inspired caterpillar outfit and a Clint Eastwood costume, but this year, the crafty mom took a cue from her favorite decade, the 1980s, and knitted the toddler a snug, one-piece ensemble inspired by the titular alien from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).

The entire project took Pokorny four days, and she didn’t use a pattern. “I began on a Friday and finished Monday evening, weaving in the last end just before I took and posted the photos [on social media] that night,” she told mental_floss. Check out more of Pokorny’s crochet costumes on Facebook and on her Crochetverse site.

[h/t The Huffington Post]

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On average, organic food items are 47 percent more expensive than standard supermarket fare—but thanks to their purported health and environmental benefits, many shoppers still splurge on them. In fact, the total retail market for organic products in the United States was valued at over $39 billion in 2016. But while the organic industry means big business for farmers and food companies, the question still remains: Are organic foods actually better for both you and the environment?

In the video below, AsapSCIENCE co-creator and host Mitchell Moffit explains why eating organic may not be the panacea most people think it is. Contrary to popular belief, an organic diet isn’t chemical-free. In fact, Moffit explains, organic farmers can still use natural pesticides and fungicides to keep crop-destroying insects at bay—and studies show that they aren’t necessarily better for you or the soil than synthetic ones.

Labels tend to be misleading, too. If a food product’s package simply says “organic,” it only has to contain 95 percent organic ingredients. (This percentage is even lower with items labeled “made with organic ingredients” or “containing organic ingredients.”) And in some cases, chemicals or ingredients are the least of a shopper’s worries: In 2015, organic foods had accounted for 7 percent of recalled foods units as of August of that year, thanks in part to incidents of potential bacterial contamination.

Even if you’re extra-careful to only consume food that’s labeled “100 percent organic,” the jury’s still out on whether it’s good for you or the environment. In 2012, Stanford University scientists published a meta-analysis of 237 studies concluding that organic fruits and veggies don’t provide more nutritional benefits than regular produce. Meanwhile, a study published in the journal Nature in 2012 found that organic crop yields are much lower than conventional ones. They require more farmland for growth, and put a greater strain on the environment.

Adding to the confusion, other studies suggest that organic farming methods can actually increase important nutrients in foods, and some agricultural experts say they improve soil quality. In short, there’s no surefire answer for whether or not you’re wasting your money at Whole Foods—but at the end of the day, “production methods vary greatly for both organic and conventional foods from one farm to another,” Moffit points out.

[h/t Science Alert]

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During Bill Clinton’s presidency, the real star of the White House was Socks the Cat, a black-and-white rescue kitty the family adopted in 1991. The First Feline became such a cultural phenomenon that books, postage stamps, and TV show episodes were created in his honor. According to Game Informer, Socks also inspired a long-lost, never-released video game—and now, a Kickstarter campaign wants to bring it to the masses.

Socks the Cat was developed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the 1990s, and it was reportedly completed and reviewed by media outlets. Gamers were to play as America’s most famous feline, navigating a White House fraught with dogs, politicians, and spies. But when the game’s publisher closed down, their ode to the presidential kitty disappeared. In subsequent years, people questioned whether the game was ever finished—or if it even existed.

In 2011, a private video game collector uploaded video footage of Socks the Cat onto YouTube, and—predictably enough—the gaming world noticed. Another collector, Tom Curtin, was lucky enough to purchase the only known copy of Socks. He also acquired the rights, and joined forces with retro video game publisher Second Dimension to fine-tune the game for official release.

Second Dimension recently launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for the project, and they’re aiming to reach $30,000 by Tuesday, November 8. Pledges of $40 or more will score you a Super Nintendo cartridge of Socks the Cat ($20 will get you a version to play on an emulator), and you’ll receive additional goodies if you contribute extra cash. If the game receives full funding, it’s slated for a July 2017 release—thankfully, long after election season is over.

[h/t Game Informer]

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