The world is so big! So many countries to visit, clothes to buy, shows to watch. Even on the micro we can see the beautiful—like the spritzing mist of a peeled orange, descending slowly, feather-like. And yet, awe notwithstanding, I posit our world is so interesting because of the uninteresting—the rusty planks that keep this ship called life afloat. Here’s a list of some fascinating un-fascinating things all around us you’d never think about.
One
The thousands of bacteria you give a free ride to when you touch a doorknob. Yes. Every, single, doorknob. That sneeze from two hours ago from across the room? The droplets may be gone, but from 26 feet away, the cells migrated to the doorknob you touched and are now thriving on your palm (or wherever you just scratched yourself 🤢).
Two
Your senses are always active. Like, 24/7. The very moment you’re reading these words, some studious part of your brain is cataloging the texture lining your feet, the position of your tongue in your mouth, the tightness or looseness of your shoulders, even the faint sounds or smells you’re barely conscious of. Yeah… your body is an employee who literally gets no vacation days 
Three
Insects do in fact defecate and urinate, and likely have done so in your house. Oh, and through a process known as passive diffusion, bacteria cells excrete waste too. So that’s probably on various surfaces near you.
Four
Your skin naturally releases oil throughout the day. It’s called sebum, and it’s the culprit for you feeling sticky all over if you skip washing up. Of course, a natural part two is that an armada of microscopic arachnids, lovingly called face mites, live in the pores of your face and munch up this excess grease. Um, yay?
Five
Bunnies eat their own poop. Geez, I’ve been desperate for food but never THAT desperate. Or maybe this practice is an animal life hack in disguise. Some nutrients manage to escape when rabbits eat plants. To retrieve that pesky vitamin goodness, they lay a special type of feces called a cecotrope, which is made out of that plant matter and contains proteins, minerals, and healthy bacteria. But bunnies aren’t alone in this—ever heard of the practice of coprophagy? Many-a-species snacks on feces.
Six
There are particles in the air, all the time and everywhere. Think of your breath, always exuding CO2 and food scents and bacteria. Think of the smells of body parts and of other bodies and of passing cars; even the steam spreading from the shower. You’ll know how disturbing this is if you’re a male wearing shorts and standing before the toilet to pee. Yes, you can ignore that tingling sensation landing on your legs, but that doesn’t mean the particles are not there 😔
Seven
Your pet’s genitals brushing against your furniture. You certainly wouldn’t like a human to do that.
Eight
Transferring snot and solid boogers from your nose to your mouth when you’re sick, forcing you to spit it out or swallow but most importantly brush your teeth afterward (I hope).
Nine
If you’ve ever seen surgery cameras scope the inside of a human’s body on YouTube, you’ll know the inside of our throats and stomachs are peach, pulsating caverns of doom and disgust. I honestly feel bad for any bugs accidentally swallowed down there.
Ten
The food you eat supports the bacteria in your microbiome, and depending on the meal, healthy or unhealthy, some bacteria will thrive while others die off. But this relationship may go two ways—your bacteria may influence the food you crave in order to help support its survival. A study by Brian K. Trevelline and Kevin D. Kohl, “The gut microbiome influences host diet selection behavior,” concludes mice with different diets and microbiome makeups prefer different foods from each other. If our microbiomes do in fact influence our food choices, maybe we don’t need to feel so bad about that midnight snack of cookies.
The Composite Human 