Scientists Disprove ''Five Second Rule" -- Next Up, What's A Cootie & Do Girls Really Have Them?

[DeSwiss]

That Dropped Doughnut: How Soon, and How Often, Will It Come Back Up?

By Monica Hesse
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 8, 2007; D01

Last month, scientists at Clemson University in South Carolina determined that applying the five-second rule to dropped food will not actually prevent the food from gathering bacteria.

The nation's reaction to this: Duh.

The five-second rule. If you've never heard of it, ask any sixth-grader. "It means that if you drop something on the ground, you can still eat it if you pick it up in five seconds," says Kiara Hopkins, 11. "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt," elaborates Christopher Evans, 13. "But after five seconds, it's nasty."

Imperative to the rule's effectiveness, Kiara and Christopher say, is yelling out, "FIVE-SECOND RULE!" as soon as an item has touched the ground. It is also acceptable for a friend to yell it on your behalf.

Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/07/AR2007070701294_pf.html

*** - I for one am glad that scientists are finally taking an interest in proving the viability of folklore and urban legends and such. They need a break into something more frivolous after discovering that cure for cancer.....

[rucky]

1. Science be damned. I have a toddler.

I'm with the 5th grader on this one.

We have two house rules:

The 10-second rule (we upped it)
The 25-dollar rule (if it's not worth over 25 dollars, we won't get upset when it gets destroyed)

[pnwmom]

10. I especially like your second rule.

With kids, you have to know when to let it go.

[tabasco]

2. I live in a very hygienic household.

We have the two-second rule.

[frogcycle]

3. but girls do have cooties

I'm sure of it.
I haven't actually found one yet, but I am not going to stop searching until I do.

[DeSwiss]

5. I have but one question....

...are there any internships left for your research project??? :shrug:

And who do I have to kill to get on it? (okay 2 questions)

[LeighAnn]

6. No they don't, BOYS have cooties!

It turns out that every boy I know has cooties, although it's been decades since I realized it.

If I hadn't of forgotten, it would have saved me a lot of heartache during my adulthood :(

[cynatnite]

13. Boys smell n/t

[frogcycle]

17. Is that a hint? Are you saying that's how to find them? n/t

[qdemn7]

18. Noo...

MEN smell. We also scratch, belch and fart. Usually as loudly as possible. :evilgrin:

[cynatnite]

20. I stand corrected

:rofl:

[Subdivisions]

4. Oh, that's just great! Has science gotten ahold

Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy yet?

[Canuckistanian]

7. WTF? I've never heard of this 'rule'

Around my house it's just the "floor rule". If it hits the floor, it's gone.

Even if it's the last piece of rare truffle that came exclusively from a region of France that has now been contaminated forever by a nuclear reactor explosion.

[DeSwiss]

8. Boy. Now that's harsh. Mmmm.... truffles n/t

:rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

9. Well, if you saw our floor, you'd know why

I can't stand truffles anyways.

:rofl:

[pnwmom]

12. We didn't have it either, but my husband's family did.

And, in our fledgling family, it came in handy sometimes . . . and then my oldest went to first grade and, one day, had to invoke it and her teacher was SHOCKED! She had never heard of the 5 second rule either.

So my daughter was careful not to use it at school again. . .

[rucky]

26. Next time, throw them away...

in my mouth.

[cynatnite]

11. Hell, I'd use the five minute rule, dog rule, my foot rule when my SIL visits n/t

[Captain Angry]

14. I think their research was highly successful.

It gets Clemson's name in the press.

It's silly enough that it will probably get them some TV time to explain it.

It's recruiting gold. People can see that Clemson does a lot of hard science, but this shows that they can take a little time to have some fun as well.

I'm all for anything that makes kids smile and think about becoming a scientist. By the time the kids get older, they'll be interested in harder science. But the 11 and 13 year olds they're interviewing in the piece are thinking about science in a new way.

Now, if this had been one of the famous government studies with millions in research spent over years and years into something obnoxious, then yeah, get on the ball.

But this sounds like a fun project.

Something else to keep in mind, when you're working on a massive research project, one that takes weeks between reactions or observations, there can be a little down time. Add to that that this happened during summer semester, and I think you can see that they were putting some spare time to some good use.

:-)

[DeSwiss]

15. I hear ya....

...and I love your sig line.

[Captain Angry]

16. You're the first person to notice (or at least mention it)

:-)

I like silly science, real science, anything that keeps people thinking.

[Berry Cool]

23. Yep. Universities do take on this kind of stuff because they know it's free publicity.

It's the kind of story the media will pick up on, when they won't pick up on more complex and "boring" research that might actually have a big impact on a lot of people.

[EST]

19. They did this on "Mythbusters" some time ago.

They found that it made no real difference, within limits, how much time the object lay on the floor, but how sticky or wet it was.
If that piece of candy falls out of the wrapper to the floor it should be ok,
If it falls out of his mouth to the floor, it is a no-no, no matter how fast you scoop it up.

[ixion]

22. yep, saw that one...

that myth's been busted long ago.

[MRM]

21. And these are the same people

Determining the cause of Global Warming and trying to find the cure for AIDS?

No surprise. 20 years ago they were warning of a coming mini-ice age.

[Poiuyt]

24. Yes, but what if you pick up the food item within 5 seconds and then wash it off?

[NeedleCast]

25. Dog Rule

In my house a five second rule is about four seconds longer than you'd have before the Dog Rule had been applied which states that any edible object that hits the floor becomes immediate property of the dog.

[soothsayer]

27. we kiss it up to God. then it's safe to eat!

[Endangered Specie]

28. Oh God please help me from making a crack on Clemson University

:evilgrin:

[achtung_circus]

29. Girls

have cooties and cooters.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

30. This looks lke a job for Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber!!