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When we think of ancient Egypt, our minds often drift to grand pyramids, enigmatic hieroglyphs, and the timeless allure of <keyword id="21230315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mummies" source="keywords">mummies</keyword>. Yet, beneath those linen wrappings lies a historical truth: ancient Egyptians were plagued by a host of <keyword id="20040661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="infectious-diseases" source="keywords">infectious diseases</keyword>. From <keyword id="22362924" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smallpox" source="keywords">smallpox</keyword> and tuberculosis to leprosy, these maladies left their mark on the living and, quite literally, the dead. But in a world where the mere whisper of a <keyword id="19913581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pandemic" source="keywords">pandemic</keyword> sends shivers down spines, could these <keyword id="22362921" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ancient-germs" source="keywords">ancient germs</keyword> still pose a threat today?<br /><br />Take Ramesses V, the fourth pharaoh of Egypt's 20th dynasty, whose mummified body bears the telltale scars of smallpox. This virus, now officially eradicated, once wreaked havoc on human populations. The question arises: Could newly unearthed mummies — yes, mummies are still being discovered — unleash <keyword id="22362925" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ancient-plagues" source="keywords">ancient plagues</keyword> upon the modern world?<br /><br />According to Piers Mitchell, director of the University of Cambridge's Ancient Parasites Laboratory, the answer is a resounding no. "Most species of parasites are dead within a year or two without a living host to latch onto," Mitchell explains. "If you wait more than 10 years, everything is dead."<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111319451" title="Why can’t men breastfeed? Because they may spread germs, scientists say" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>For pathogens like the smallpox virus, which requires a living host to reproduce, survival over millennia is virtually impossible. The National Library of Medicine’s National Center for Biotechnology Information notes that poxviruses can only thrive within the cells of a living organism. Similarly, the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis and leprosy need living hosts to persist.<br /><br />Despite the dramatic depictions in horror movies, where curses and ancient diseases are unleashed with a puff of dust, the reality is far more mundane. <keyword id="22362926" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DNA-degradation" source="keywords">DNA degradation</keyword> over time ensures that any ancient pathogens are rendered inert. <br /><br />"With analysis, you can find that all the bits of DNA of these parasites are rather short. Instead of being nice, long, healthy DNA chains, they are only about 50 to 100 base pairs,” Mitchell elaborates. “There's no way for anything to be viable once the DNA has fallen apart — nothing is waking up."<br /><br />Even intestinal worms, which are hardier than most parasites, stand little chance of survival over thousands of years. "Those can be a lot tougher and can last a number of months, or sometimes a few years, but none of them are going to last thousands of years," says Mitchell. "The vast majority of parasites die when the host dies because they have no way of surviving."<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111352773" title="A mummified 44,000-year-old wolf is so perfectly preserved its stomach could contain remnants of its last meal" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Moreover, modern researchers are well-equipped to handle ancient remains. The protective gear they wear, including masks and gloves, not only safeguards the mummies from contamination but also shields the researchers from any potential pathogens. This dual-layer protection ensures that even on the off chance some ancient germ defies the odds, it poses no threat to human health.<br /><br />So, while the idea of mummies unleashing <keyword id="22362923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="plague" source="keywords">plague</keyword>s might make for thrilling fiction, science tells a different story. The ancient Egyptians, with their myriad diseases, have left us many mysteries to unravel, but a modern-day plague isn't one of them. Rest easy knowing that the germs of yesteryear are as entombed as the pharaohs themselves.<br />

Can ancient germs from dug-up Egyptian mummies trigger a plague or pandemic today?

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="46003" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Copper">Copper</keyword> can kill <keyword id="87479" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="viruses">viruses</keyword> and other <keyword id="64150" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Germs">germs</keyword> by disrupting the protective layers of the organisms and interfering with its vital processes.</li><li>A study found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic, is no longer infectious on copper within 4 hours, whereas it can survive on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-long-can-coronavirus-live-on-surfaces-how-to-disinfect-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plastic surfaces for 72 hours</a>.  </li><li>Copper has many applications in hospitals and other places where germs are likely to spread.</li></ul><p>While you may think that antiseptic wipes or sprays are necessary to kill germs, there's actually a metal that kills germs on contact - no cleaning supplies necessary.</p><p>Believe it or not, the use of copper for <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> purposes dates all the way back to <a href="https://www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Medicine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ancient Egypt</a>, and scientists today are still learning about the amazing benefits of copper. Here's what you need to know. </p><h2><strong>Copper does kill germs</strong></h2><p>Copper has antimicrobial properties, meaning it can kill microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. However, the microorganism has to come in contact with the copper in order for it to be killed. This is referred to as "contact killing."</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.pnwu.edu/inside-pnwu/staff-directory/Edward-Bilsky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edward Bilsky, Ph.D.</a>, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, copper can kill germs in a few ways:</p><ul><li>It disrupts bacterial cell membranes - copper ions <a href="https://aem.asm.org/content/79/8/2605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">damage cell membranes</a> or "envelopes" and can destroy the DNA or RNA of the microbe</li><li>It generates oxidative stress on bacterial cells and creates hydrogen peroxide that can kill the cell</li><li>It interferes with proteins that operate important functions that keep bacterial cells alive</li></ul><p>The exact mechanism of how copper interferes with proteins in bacterial cells is not fully understood yet, but the current hypothesis is mis-metalation, thanks to the fact that copper is a stable metal.</p><p>"Mis-metalation is the ability of a metal to basically replace another metal," says <a href="https://immunobiology.arizona.edu/profile/michael-d-l-johnson-phd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael D. L. Johnson, Ph.D.</a>, Assistant Professor of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. "Copper can just replace some of the other metals that are present in some of these other proteins [in bacteria] and by doing so, it blocks the function of those proteins." <br /><br />When you block a protein's function, it starts a bacteria-killing chain reaction. "By blocking the function of the protein, you block the function of the pathway. When you block the function of the pathway, you block the function of the organism, and then the organism is just dead in the water," says Johnson.</p><h2><strong>Copper can kill viruses and bacteria </strong></h2><p>Studies have shown that copper can kill many types of germs on contact. According to a 2015 study published in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4561453/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health Environments Research and Design Journal</a>, some of the common germs copper has been proven to kill are:</p><ul><li>MRSA</li><li>E. coli</li><li>Influenza A</li><li>Norovirus</li></ul><p>Brand new research published in the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973?query=featured_home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New England Journal of Medicine</a> found that copper can be effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the coronavirus pandemic. The study showed that after four hours, the virus was no longer infectious on copper's surface. In comparison, coronavirus was still infectious on plastic surfaces after 72 hours. </p><h2><strong>The applications of antimicrobial copper</strong></h2><p>One of the main applications of copper is in hospitals, although the use is not widespread. In the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973?query=featured_home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">same study as above</a>, researchers determined the germiest surfaces in a hospital room - bed rails, call buttons, chair arms, tray table, data input, and IV pole - and replaced them with copper components. </p><p>The results were very promising. Compared to the rooms made with traditional materials, there was an 83% reduction in bacterial load on the surfaces in the rooms with copper components. Additionally, infection rates of patients were reduced by 58%. </p><p>Technically, you can use copper at home. However, according to Johnson, the majority of copper products for the home have a treatment on it to prevent the oxidation that causes the beautiful original color of the copper to turn to a greenish-blue over time. This treatment prevents you from getting the beneficial antimicrobial properties of copper. That being said, copper still has the ability to be toxic to bacteria when it's at this oxidized greenish state, however, according to Johnson, scientists still don't know exactly how this mechanism works. </p><p>According to current research, the downside of using copper is that it isn't as effective at destroying viruses as it is at killing bacteria - particularly if it's an airborne virus. Much of this has to do with the fact that viruses are technically not living organisms - they are infection agents, which are not "alive" like cells are, and as such they are more durable.</p><p>"Viruses are different in that they are not cells but rather infect healthy cells that allows them to replicate. The virus can come in direct contact with the upper respiratory tract and eyes and enter healthy cells, so a copper strategy would be largely ineffective [in that case]," says Bilsky.</p><p>Another downside is that there are some unsubstantiated claims that may mislead people. Some companies try to market copper jewelry or copper-infused socks as antimicrobial protection for the wearer, but these are ineffective.</p><p>Hopefully, more research will continue to be conducted so we can better understand the antimicrobial properties of copper and the most effective ways to use it in everyday life to keep us healthy. </p><h2>Related stories about sanitation and keeping clean:</h2><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-do-viruses-spread" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How do viruses spread and how to protect yourself against infection</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-bleach-kill-germs-and-viruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does bleach kill germs? Yes, but you need to let it sit for 10 minutes</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/do-beards-carry-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beards carry a host of bacteria - but not much more than clean-shaven skin</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-temperature-kills-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What temperature kills germs? How to use heat properly to get rid of bacteria and viruses</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-uv-light-kill-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does UV light kill germs? Getting an at-home sanitizer may be worth it</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-alcohol-kill-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does alcohol kill germs? Yes, as long as the solution is strong enough</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-vinegar-kill-germs-and-viruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does vinegar kill germs? It isn't the best disinfectant for viruses</a></strong></li></ul>

Does copper kill germs? Yes, it's effective against COVID-19 within 4 hours

French scientists have revived a 48,500-year-old <keyword id="15655645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zombie-virus-buried-under-a-frozen-lake" source="Orion">zombie virus buried under a frozen lake</keyword> in Russia until now!<br /><br />According to New York Post, French scientists have sparked fears of yet another pandemic after reviving the "<keyword id="14706038" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zombie-virus" source="Orion">zombie virus</keyword>".<br /><br />New York Post is a daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City.<br /><br />New York Post has quoted a viral study which is yet to be peer-reviewed.<br /><br />"The situation would be much more disastrous in the case of plant, animal, or human diseases caused by the revival of an ancient unknown virus," reads the "viral" study.<br /><br />According to the preliminary report, global warming is irrevocably thawing enormous swathes of permafrost -- permanently frozen ground that covers one-quarter of the Northern Hemisphere. This has had the unsettling effect of "releasing organic materials frozen for up to a million years" - possibly deadly germs included.<br /><br />"Part of this organic matter also consists of revived cellular microbes (prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes) as well as viruses that remained dormant since prehistorical times," the researchers write.<br /><br />According to the New York Post, scientists have, perhaps strangely, revived some of these so-called "zombie viruses" from the Siberian permafrost in order to investigate the awakening critters.<br /><br />The oldest, Pandoravirus yedoma, was 48,500 years old, a record age for a frozen virus returning to a form where it may infect other creatures. This breaks the previous record of a 30,000-year-old virus identified in Siberia by the same scientists in 2013.<br /><br />The new strain is one of 13 viruses described in the study, each with its own genome, according to Science Alert.<br /><br />While the Pandoravirus was discovered at the bottom of a lake in Yukechi Alas, Yakutia, Russia, others have been discovered everywhere from mammoth fur to Siberian wolf intestines.<br /><br />Scientists discovered that all of the "zombie viruses" have the potential to be infectious and hence pose a "health danger" after researching the live cultures. They believe that COVID-19-style pandemics will become more common in the future as melting permafrost releases long-dormant viruses like a microbial Captain America, as per New York Post.<br /><br />"It is therefore legitimate to ponder the risk of ancient viral particles remaining infectious and getting back into circulation by the thawing of ancient permafrost layers," they write.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it's a vicious cycle as organic matter released by the thawing ice decomposes into carbon dioxide and methane, further enhancing the greenhouse effect and accelerating the melt.<br /><br />New York Post reports that the newly thawed virus might only be the tip of the epidemiological iceberg as there are likely more hibernating viruses yet to be discovered.<br /><br />More research is needed to assess the level of infectiousness of these unknown viruses when exposed to light, heat, oxygen, and other outside environmental variables.<br /><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong><br /><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/us-weekly-flu-hospitalisations-hit-record-high-since-2010/articleshow/95851463.cms" style="">US weekly flu hospitalisations hit record high since 2010</a><br /><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/skyroot-aerospace-plans-to-launch-another-rocket-vikram-1-in-one-year/articleshow/95850320.cms" style="">Skyroot Aerospace plans to launch another rocket Vikram-1, in one year</a><br />

Scientists revive 48,500-year-old zombie virus buried under a frozen lake in Russia

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Paul Krugman has been loudly criticizing bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for at least a decade.</li><li>The Nobel laureate has labeled them useless, inefficient, and basically worthless.</li></ul><p>Paul Krugman has repeatedly trashed bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, dismissing them as useless, wasteful, niche, and only valuable due to hype and speculation.</p><p>Over the years, the Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist has called out the crypto industry for enabling criminals, complicating transactions, preying on vulnerable people, and operating as a pyramid scheme.</p><h2>Here are Krugman's 12 best quotes about crypto over the past decade, lightly edited for length and clarity:</h2><p>1. "People think it's smart, nay cutting-edge, to create a sort of virtual currency whose creation requires wasting real resources in a way Adam Smith considered foolish and outmoded in 1776." ("<a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/adam-smith-hates-bitcoin/?searchResultPosition=4&amp;mtrref=www.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL&amp;mtrref=archive.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL&amp;mtrref=archive.nytimes.com&amp;gwh=F07EC3E7AE0A6864F91DD3A503C87F6F&amp;gwt=pay&amp;assetType=PAYWALL">Adam Smith Hates Bitcoin</a>") (April 12, 2013)</p><p>2. "To be successful, money must be both a media of exchange and a reasonably stable store of value. And it remains completely unclear why bitcoin should be a stable store of value." ("<a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/bitcoin-is-evil/?searchResultPosition=1&amp;mtrref=www.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL&amp;mtrref=archive.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL">Bitcoin is Evil</a>") (December 28, 2013)</p><p>3. The enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies seems very odd, because it goes exactly in the opposite of the long-run trend. Instead of near-frictionless transactions, we have high costs of doing business, because transferring a bitcoin or other cryptocurrency unit requires providing a complete history of past transactions. Instead of money created by the click of a mouse, we have money that must be mined — created through resource-intensive computations." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/opinion/transaction-costs-and-tethers-why-im-a-crypto-skeptic.html?searchResultPosition=9">Transaction Costs and Tethers: Why I'm a Crypto Skeptic</a>") (July 31, 2018)</p><p>4. "Cryptocurrencies have no backstop, no tether to reality. Their value depends entirely on self-fulfilling expectations — which means that total collapse is a real possibility. If speculators were to have a collective moment of doubt, suddenly fearing that bitcoins were worthless, well, bitcoins would become worthless." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/opinion/transaction-costs-and-tethers-why-im-a-crypto-skeptic.html?searchResultPosition=9">Transaction Costs and Tethers: Why I'm a Crypto Skeptic</a>") (July 31, 2018)</p><p>5. "There might be a potential equilibrium in which bitcoin (although probably not other cryptocurrencies) remain in use mainly for black market transactions and tax evasion, but that equilibrium, if it exists, would be hard to get to from here: once the dream of a blockchained future dies, the disappointment will probably collapse the whole thing." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/opinion/transaction-costs-and-tethers-why-im-a-crypto-skeptic.html?searchResultPosition=9">Transaction Costs and Tethers: Why I'm a Crypto Skeptic</a>") (July 31, 2018)</p><p>6. "Crypto has been effectively marketed: It manages both to seem futuristic and to appeal to old-style goldbug fears that the government will inflate away your savings, and huge past gains have drawn in investors worried about missing out. So crypto has become a large asset class even though nobody can clearly explain what legitimate purpose it's for." (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/opinion/cryptocurrency-subprime-vulnerable.html?searchResultPosition=5">How Crypto Became the New Subprime</a>) (January 27, 2022)</p><p>7. "I'm seeing uncomfortable parallels with the subprime crisis of the 2000s. No, crypto doesn't threaten the financial system — the numbers aren't big enough to do that. But there's growing evidence that the risks of crypto are falling disproportionately on people who don't know what they are getting into and are poorly positioned to handle the downside." (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/opinion/cryptocurrency-subprime-vulnerable.html?searchResultPosition=5">How Crypto Became the New Subprime</a>) (January 27, 2022)</p><p>8. "Bitcoin plays into a fantasy of self-sufficient individualism, of protecting your family with your personal AR-15, treating your Covid with an anti-parasite drug or urine and managing your financial affairs with privately created money, untainted by institutions like governments or banks." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/opinion/republican-misinformation-coronavirus.html?searchResultPosition=7">Guns, Germs, Bitcoin and the Antisocial Right</a>") (January 31, 2022)</p><p>9. "Cryptocurrencies play almost no role in economic transactions other than speculation in crypto markets themselves. And if your answer is 'give it time,' you should bear in mind that bitcoin has been around since 2009, which makes it ancient by tech standards; Apple introduced the iPad in 2010." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/opinion/crypto-crash-bitcoin.html?searchResultPosition=1">Crashing Crypto: Is This Time Different?</a>") (May 17, 2022)</p><p>10. "If you believe, as I do, that crypto is to a large extent a Ponzi scheme, this may just happen to be the moment when the scheme has run out of new suckers." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/opinion/crypto-bitcoin-inflation-gold.html?searchResultPosition=11">Wonking Out: Wasn't Bitcoin Supposed to Be a Hedge Against Inflation?</a>") (June 17, 2022)</p><p>11. "Jim Chanos went on to call crypto a '<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/jim-chanos-kynikos-short-sellers-crypto-fraud-spac-china-stocks-2022-5">predatory junkyard</a>.' Well, I wouldn't go that far. Actually, on second thought, I would." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/opinion/crypto-bitcoin-inflation-gold.html?searchResultPosition=11">Wonking Out: Wasn't Bitcoin Supposed to Be a Hedge Against Inflation?</a>") (June 17, 2022)</p><p>12. "The way I see it, crypto evolved into a sort of postmodern pyramid scheme. The industry lured investors in with a combination of technobabble and libertarian derp; it used some of that cash flow to buy the illusion of respectability, which brought in even more investors. And for a while, even as the risks multiplied, it became, in effect, too big to regulate." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/11/opinion/cryptocurrency-federal-reserve.html?searchResultPosition=2">Crypto Is Crashing. Where Were the Regulators?</a>") (July 11, 2022)</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stocks-to-buy-investing-market-crash-recession-profit-growth-overlooked-2022-8">The chief investment officer of a $1.5 billion firm explains how to invest in the companies that benefit from recessions — and shares the top 10 overlooked stocks that have helped him beat the market this year</a></em></p>

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has trashed bitcoin as useless, inefficient, and largely a Ponzi scheme. Here are his 12 best quotes about crypto from the past decade.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Archaeologists found a 5,700-year-old wad of 'chewing gum' - a piece of birch tree pitch - in Lolland, Denmark.</li><li>The chewed bark contained ancient DNA from a hunter-gatherer woman. Scientists were able to sequence her entire genome.</li><li>Hunter-gatherers used birch pitch as glue to make stone tools, and they may have chewed the pitch for fun, to suppress hunger, or to alleviate toothaches.</li><li>Researchers were also able to extract genetic information from ancient germs present in the gum.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Nearly 5,700 years ago, a woman followed up a meal of hazelnuts and duck with an after-dinner trick many of us still use today: she chewed a piece of gum.</p><p>Specifically, this human ancestor chewed on a piece of birch pitch - a gooey, heated version of bark from a birch tree.</p><p>The ancient hunter-gatherer woman then threw the chewed birch into a salty lagoon in what is now Lolland, Denmark, where it sat in the mud until a team of archaeologists uncovered it last year.</p><p>According to <a href="https://nature.com/articles/s41467-019-13549-9">a study</a> published today in the journal Nature Communications, scientists were able to use that wad of "chewing gum" to extract an unprecedented amount of DNA and sequence an entire ancient human genome. This was the first time that's ever been done using any fossilized material other than human bones.</p><p>The genetic analysis offers countless clues about who this woman was, what she liked to eat, and which germs plagued her mouth and gums. </p><p>"That's quite cool. We can learn so much from a whole genome: population history, physical traits, and phenotypic traits," geneticist Hannes Schroeder, who led the research, told Business Insider. "It's a richness of information that we are able to pull out of this inconspicuous chewing gum."</p><h2>A dark-haired woman named Lola</h2><p>The analysis revealed that the person who chewed the 2-centimeter-long piece of gum was a female with dark skin, dark hair, and blue eyes.</p><p>The study authors named the woman Lola.</p><p>They determined that her genes were more closely related to hunter-gatherers from mainland Europe than groups that lived in Scandinavia at the time. That tells archaeologists about how Denmark got populated, Schroeder said: "It looks like, when south Denmark was first settled, it happened from the south."</p><p>In other words, the study lends support to the idea that hunter-gatherers moved north from modern-day Germany into Syltholm, an ancient village on Lolland island off the southern coast of Denmark, rather than west from nearby Sweden. </p><p>Given fossil evidence found near the chewing gum, scientists also figured out that Lola's village seemed to rely primarily on fishing and hunting for sustenance. Bones from cattle, deer, and otters were deposited near Syltholm, alongside remnants of fish traps.</p><p>These ancient humans also gathered nuts and berries. In the gum, Lola's DNA was accompanied by DNA from hazelnuts and mallard ducks. According to the study authors, that shows Lola had recently munched on these foods.</p><h2>Birch gum and glue</h2><p>Birch pitch is made by heating birch bark. Ancient hunters used the pitch, a form of tar, as an adhesive to glue arrowheads onto arrows and affix stone blades onto wooden handles.</p><p>Schroeder said ancient birch pitch samples often have small teeth marks from children - suggesting the tar could have been something to gnaw on "recreationally."</p><p>"Maybe, just like kids today, it was a type chewing gum," he said. "Having said that, it's not sweet like chewing gum today."</p><p>Schroeder said he's never tasted birch pitch himself, but assumes it has a bitter taste.</p><p>The tar may also have had antiseptic or antibacterial properties, he said.</p><p>"People have also suggested other uses, like alleviating toothaches or suppressing hunger," Schroeder added.</p><h2>Ancient germs trapped in gum</h2><p>Schroeder and his team were also able to analyze the genes of 40 mouth microbes and pathogens that were preserved in the pitch.</p><p>They detected bacteria like Porphyromonas gingivalis, a germ that can cause gum disease, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is linked to pneumonia. The gum wad also included genetic traces of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is known to cause mononucleosis.</p><p>"Now we can look at evolution of specific pathogens, like EBV, and how these bugs change in terms of their virulence," Schroeder said. "To be able to get these ancient pathogens' genomes allows you to see how they evolved and spread."</p><p>The presence of these bacteria doesn't necessarily mean Lola was sick, though, since the germs can be present in a person without causing illnesses.</p><p>The discovery could, however, help scientists better understand how germs change over thousands of years, and could further evolve in the future. </p>

Scientists found a 5,700-year-old piece of used gum in a lagoon - and sequenced the entire genome of the woman who chewed it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Paul Krugman has been a scathing critic of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for at least a decade.</li><li>The Nobel Prize-winning economist has called them pointless, wasteful, and virtually worthless.</li></ul><p>Paul Krugman has repeatedly criticized bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, dismissing them as useless, wasteful, niche, and only valuable due to hype and speculation.</p><p>Over the years, the Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist has slammed the crypto industry for enabling criminals, complicating transactions, preying on vulnerable people, and operating as a pyramid scheme.</p><h2>Here are Krugman's 12 best quotes about crypto over the past decade, lightly edited for length and clarity:</h2><p>1. "People think it's smart, nay cutting-edge, to create a sort of virtual currency whose creation requires wasting real resources in a way Adam Smith considered foolish and outmoded in 1776." ("<a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/adam-smith-hates-bitcoin/?searchResultPosition=4&amp;mtrref=www.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL&amp;mtrref=archive.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL&amp;mtrref=archive.nytimes.com&amp;gwh=F07EC3E7AE0A6864F91DD3A503C87F6F&amp;gwt=pay&amp;assetType=PAYWALL">Adam Smith Hates Bitcoin</a>") (April 12, 2013)</p><p>2. "To be successful, money must be both a media of exchange and a reasonably stable store of value. And it remains completely unclear why bitcoin should be a stable store of value." ("<a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/bitcoin-is-evil/?searchResultPosition=1&amp;mtrref=www.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL&amp;mtrref=archive.nytimes.com&amp;assetType=PAYWALL">Bitcoin is Evil</a>") (December 28, 2013)</p><p>3. The enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies seems very odd, because it goes exactly in the opposite of the long-run trend. Instead of near-frictionless transactions, we have high costs of doing business, because transferring a bitcoin or other cryptocurrency unit requires providing a complete history of past transactions. Instead of money created by the click of a mouse, we have money that must be mined — created through resource-intensive computations." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/opinion/transaction-costs-and-tethers-why-im-a-crypto-skeptic.html?searchResultPosition=9">Transaction Costs and Tethers: Why I'm a Crypto Skeptic</a>") (July 31, 2018)</p><p>4. "Cryptocurrencies have no backstop, no tether to reality. Their value depends entirely on self-fulfilling expectations — which means that total collapse is a real possibility. If speculators were to have a collective moment of doubt, suddenly fearing that bitcoins were worthless, well, bitcoins would become worthless." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/opinion/transaction-costs-and-tethers-why-im-a-crypto-skeptic.html?searchResultPosition=9">Transaction Costs and Tethers: Why I'm a Crypto Skeptic</a>") (July 31, 2018)</p><p>5. "There might be a potential equilibrium in which bitcoin (although probably not other cryptocurrencies) remain in use mainly for black market transactions and tax evasion, but that equilibrium, if it exists, would be hard to get to from here: once the dream of a blockchained future dies, the disappointment will probably collapse the whole thing." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/opinion/transaction-costs-and-tethers-why-im-a-crypto-skeptic.html?searchResultPosition=9">Transaction Costs and Tethers: Why I'm a Crypto Skeptic</a>") (July 31, 2018)</p><p>6. "Crypto has been effectively marketed: It manages both to seem futuristic and to appeal to old-style goldbug fears that the government will inflate away your savings, and huge past gains have drawn in investors worried about missing out. So crypto has become a large asset class even though nobody can clearly explain what legitimate purpose it's for." (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/opinion/cryptocurrency-subprime-vulnerable.html?searchResultPosition=5">How Crypto Became the New Subprime</a>) (January 27, 2022)</p><p>7. "I'm seeing uncomfortable parallels with the subprime crisis of the 2000s. No, crypto doesn't threaten the financial system — the numbers aren't big enough to do that. But there's growing evidence that the risks of crypto are falling disproportionately on people who don't know what they are getting into and are poorly positioned to handle the downside." (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/opinion/cryptocurrency-subprime-vulnerable.html?searchResultPosition=5">How Crypto Became the New Subprime</a>) (January 27, 2022)</p><p>8. "Bitcoin plays into a fantasy of self-sufficient individualism, of protecting your family with your personal AR-15, treating your Covid with an anti-parasite drug or urine and managing your financial affairs with privately created money, untainted by institutions like governments or banks." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/opinion/republican-misinformation-coronavirus.html?searchResultPosition=7">Guns, Germs, Bitcoin and the Antisocial Right</a>") (January 31, 2022)</p><p>9. "Cryptocurrencies play almost no role in economic transactions other than speculation in crypto markets themselves. And if your answer is 'give it time,' you should bear in mind that bitcoin has been around since 2009, which makes it ancient by tech standards; Apple introduced the iPad in 2010." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/opinion/crypto-crash-bitcoin.html?searchResultPosition=1">Crashing Crypto: Is This Time Different?</a>") (May 17, 2022)</p><p>10. "If you believe, as I do, that crypto is to a large extent a Ponzi scheme, this may just happen to be the moment when the scheme has run out of new suckers." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/opinion/crypto-bitcoin-inflation-gold.html?searchResultPosition=11">Wonking Out: Wasn't Bitcoin Supposed to Be a Hedge Against Inflation?</a>") (June 17, 2022)</p><p>11. "Jim Chanos went on to call crypto a '<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/jim-chanos-kynikos-short-sellers-crypto-fraud-spac-china-stocks-2022-5">predatory junkyard</a>.' Well, I wouldn't go that far. Actually, on second thought, I would." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/opinion/crypto-bitcoin-inflation-gold.html?searchResultPosition=11">Wonking Out: Wasn't Bitcoin Supposed to Be a Hedge Against Inflation?</a>") (June 17, 2022)</p><p>12. "The way I see it, crypto evolved into a sort of postmodern pyramid scheme. The industry lured investors in with a combination of technobabble and libertarian derp; it used some of that cash flow to buy the illusion of respectability, which brought in even more investors. And for a while, even as the risks multiplied, it became, in effect, too big to regulate." ("<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/11/opinion/cryptocurrency-federal-reserve.html?searchResultPosition=2">Crypto Is Crashing. Where Were the Regulators?</a>") (July 11, 2022)</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stocks-to-buy-investing-market-crash-recession-profit-growth-overlooked-2022-8">The chief investment officer of a $1.5 billion firm explains how to invest in the companies that benefit from recessions — and shares the top 10 overlooked stocks that have helped him beat the market this year</a></em></p>

Nobel laureate Paul Krugman has slammed bitcoin as pointless, wasteful, and in large part a Ponzi scheme. Here are the economist's 12 best quotes about crypto over the past decade.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Colloidal <keyword id="35264" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="silver">silver</keyword> is not safe and too much of it can cause serious side effects like muscle weakness, kidney problems, and neurological damage.</li><li>Taking colloidal silver can also lead to an incurable condition called argyria which turns the skin and gums blue.</li><li>Companies that market colloidal silver as a <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> remedy are not supported by the FDA and some companies have even been issued FDA warnings for their fraudulent claims.</li><li>This article <a href="https://www.insider.com/insider-medical-review-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was medically reviewed</a> by <a href="https://www.acsh.org/profile/alex-berezow-phd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Berezow, PhD</a>, a microbiologist at the American Council on Science and Health. </li></ul><p>Silver is known for its <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315945/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antibacterial properties</a>, which kill a range of microbes, bacteria, and fungus. Silver damages bacterial cell walls, enters and disrupts bacterial cells, and stops the replication of bacteria by damaging its DNA. </p><p>"The use of silver as vessels to store food and drink to avoid spoilage was common in ancient civilizations," says Wong Siew Wei, MD, at <a href="https://tcc.sg/our-doctors/dr-wong-siew-wei/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Cancer Centre</a> and <a href="https://smg.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singapore Medical Group</a>. </p><p>One of the most common forms of silver is colloidal silver, a water solution containing small particles — ions and nanoparticles — of silver. It was first used in 1891 to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315945/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sterilize wounds</a>.</p><p>Today, some peddle the metallic ingredient in dietary supplements and beauty products, claiming it can be a miracle cure — despite the fact that there's a serious lack of evidence to support any health benefits of consuming colloidal silver or applying it to your skin. </p><h2><strong>Colloidal silver is not safe to consume </strong></h2><p>While the antimicrobial properties of silver are well-studied, the suggested benefits of colloidal silver as a dietary supplement <a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/health/colloidalsilver#hed1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have not been scientifically proven</a>.</p><p>"There are currently no FDA-approved prescription or over-the-counter drugs containing colloidal silver that are taken by mouth," says Wong. "In 1999, the FDA warned that oral colloidal silver is neither safe nor effective for treating any disease or condition." </p><p>In fact, the FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/fraudulent-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-products" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently issued warnings</a> against seven companies that claimed to sell products that cured or prevented the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>, including colloidal silver. </p><p>Wong says that companies selling products with colloidal silver that claim to prevent or cure illnesses like coronavirus are a major threat to public health, as they might stop or delay consumers from seeking the appropriate medical treatment.</p><p>Overall, the <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=310.548" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FDA </a>and <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/colloidal-silver/faq-20058061" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayo Clinic</a>, to name just two, point out the lack of scientific evidence for the oral use of colloidal silver. It's important to note that silver has no nutritional function in the body, and is not an essential part of the human diet. </p><h2><strong>Colloidal silver can have dangerous side effects </strong></h2><p>Proponents of consuming colloidal silver claim that it can help <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-boost-immune-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boost the immune system</a>, purify water, and cleanse the gut. Beauty brands suggest the ingredient, when applied topically, is anti-inflammatory and reduces irritation on the skin. </p><p>And while the evidence is lacking for any of these supposed benefits of colloidal silver, there's been plenty of studies proving the harmful effects of the substance. </p><p>"The silver in colloidal silver products gets deposited into organs such as the skin, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, and brain," says Wong. "This can lead to argyria, a condition characterized by irreversible bluish looking skin that first appears in the gums." </p><p>Wong says that this blue tinge may have led to the rise of the term 'blue blood' as a descriptor for the aristocracy, as the use of silver was widespread among wealthier families in ancient times. One of the most notable recent instances of argyria is <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/does-colloidal-silver-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul Karason</a>, the 'blue man' who appeared on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T58YRgdrljM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2008</a> after drinking extreme amounts of colloidal silver.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861249/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2009 case report</a> on argyria noted the increasing use of colloidal silver in alternative and homeopathic remedies and warned against its use. It's important to always know what you're taking, whether it's a natural supplement or not, and make sure to run everything past a licensed doctor or medical practitioner first. </p><p>As if turning blue wasn't a risky enough side effect, colloidal silver can cause problems for those taking certain medications. "Colloidal silver interferes with drug absorption," says Wong, which is how effectively medication enters the bloodstream. "For example, the absorption of antibiotics from the quinolones and tetracyclines families are decreased with concomitant colloidal silver use." </p><p><a href="https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/quinolones.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quinolone antibiotics</a> include ciprofloxacin, a common treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and respiratory infections, while <a href="https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/tetracyclines.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tetracycline antibiotics</a> are commonly used to treat malaria. Colloidal silver has also been shown to reduce the absorption of thyroxine, a medication used to treat thyroid deficiency. </p><p>According to <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/colloidal-silver/faq-20058061" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayo Clinic</a>, excessive consumption of silver has been linked to kidney damage and neurological issues, such as having seizures. Another <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5625662/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2017 case study</a> also noted instances of muscle weakness and that some cases of argyria result in myopathy, a disease of muscle tissues.</p><h2><strong>The bottom line: Don't apply or consume colloidal silver </strong></h2><p>Wong, along with NCCIH, says that using silver topically on the skin is fine in medical situations, such as for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315945/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bandages and dressings</a> when treating infections, burns, or wounds on the skin. </p><p>Outside the body, the amount of silver you might come into contact with through jewelry or household objects is perfectly safe. But applying colloidal silver to your skin has no proven health benefits, and many known harmful side effects. </p><p>And don't consume colloidal silver. There's absolutely no evidence that ingesting it prevents disease or helps the <keyword id="31457" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="immune-system">immune system</keyword> in any way. If you're looking to prevent disease, it's better to stick with tried-and-tested methods: wash your hands, and avoid social contact. </p><h1>Related stories about staying germ-free:</h1><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-do-viruses-spread" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How do viruses spread and how to protect yourself against infection</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-copper-kill-germs-and-viruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does copper kill germs? Yes, it's effective against COVID-19 within 4 hours</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-temperature-kills-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What temperature kills germs? How to use heat properly to get rid of bacteria and viruses</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-boost-immune-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to boost your immune system through diet and lifestyle changes</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-uv-light-kill-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does UV light kill germs? Getting an at-home sanitizer may be worth it</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.insider.com/does-alcohol-kill-germs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does alcohol kill germs? Yes, as long as the solution is strong enough</a></strong></li></ul>

Colloidal silver is not safe to consume or apply to your skin

<ul><li><keyword id="26169" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="himalaya">Himalaya</keyword> collaborates with <keyword id="7278856" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="82-5-Communications">82.5 Communications</keyword> and professionals from around the world connecting from their homes to create a film on #ThePurestGreeting.</li><li>This film has been shot, directed, and edited remotely, spanning across several countries.</li></ul>The Himalaya Drug Company has brought forth the importance of practicing hand hygiene and sanitation with Himalaya Pure Hands - their latest offering in the germ-protection space. <br /><br />With extended lockdowns and social distancing, when conventional advertising seems difficult, Himalaya and 82.5 Communications together have created a film that introduces the product to the world. And, it does so, using #ThePurestGreeting – the ancient Indian tradition of <em><keyword id="76421" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Namaste">Namaste</keyword></em> as a form of greeting.<br /><br />The film is an ode to Namaste, the traditional Indian greeting, which has both spiritual and scientific dimensions to it. A soulful narrative runs through this unique film that has been shot, directed, and edited remotely, spanning across several countries. Over 15 Indian and international DoPs collaborated on this film. With Namaste, the film introduces the exciting range of Pure Hands Hand Wash and PureHands Hand Sanitizer to the world, with a reminder for everyone to ’keep distance but stay social’.<br /><br />  <div type="Youtube" id="xvthYGygSjg" title="Namaste | Himalaya Pure Hands | Hand Wash &amp; Sanitizer" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xvthYGygSjg/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br />Speaking about the film, Philipe Haydon, CEO, The Himalaya Drug Company, said, “This film captures the beauty, essence, and great wisdom of our Indian greeting, Namaste. Today, as we practice social distancing, the phenomenal knowledge and wisdom of this greeting holds great value in our lives. At Himalaya, we have always been inspired by our rich heritage. We hope that this film spreads love and happiness as well as keeps you all safe. Stay safe, stay healthy. Namaste from our hearts at Himalaya to yours.”<br /><br />Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Business Director-Consumer Products Division, The Himalaya Drug Company, added, “Himalaya is a well-known and trusted Wellness brand, and we have always been at the forefront of ensuring the well-being of our consumers. With our Himalaya Pure Hands portfolio of Hand Wash and Hand Sanitizer, we ensure total hand hygiene, the first step to prevent infections. At a time when it's crucial to practice social distancing in addition to hand hygiene, Namaste is the warmest and best way to greet one another. With this brand film, we wish to highlight Namaste, the beautiful Indian custom of greeting, that has become more relevant today!”<br /><br /><keyword id="255416" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sumanto-Chattopadhyay">Sumanto Chattopadhyay</keyword>, Chairman and CCO, 82.5 Communications, said, “The Namaste is such a beautiful yet practical gesture with so many layers of meaning. It is wonderful to make this film for Pure Hands as a vehicle to spread the message of the Namaste—a message that is all the more meaningful during the pandemic."<br /><br />Mayur Varma, ECD, 82.5 Communications, said, “While we are all trying our best to prevent the virus from spreading, we should keep spreading love. And a simple namaste helps us do that.”<br /><br />The Director, Shashank Chaturvedi, was clear he didn’t want to make another montage of user generated home videos. “This idea deserved a film which was not a ‘usual lockdown film’. Didn’t want it to get lost in the sea of sameness. It had to have some finesse. The challenge was, how to do it? We collaborated with many cinematographers and photographers across the world and asked them to take two shots in their environment with the people they were quarantined with. They were given a mood board so that the shots didn’t lose synergy with each other during the editing stage.”<br />

As Namaste transcends borders, Himalaya celebrates this warm gesture of love and respect

<p><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.</em></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://amzn.to/2G2L9Su" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Used in tandem with brushing, flossing, and avoiding salt water taffy before bed, a good mouthwash can play a pivotal role in your oral health and hygiene regimen. </strong></li><li><strong><a href="http://amzn.to/2G2L9Su" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash</a> is our top choice thanks to its ADA-accepted, clinically-proven ability to kill off germs that contribute to plaque buildup, bad breath, and gum disease.</strong></li></ul><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every time you gargle an ounce or two of mouthwash about after a meal or just before bed, you might think you're benefiting from the latest advances in chemistry and medical science. In fact, people have been using varieties of mouthwash for millennia. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The history of mouthwash can be traced back more than 4,000 years, with ancient Chinese and Indian texts containing references to liquids used for sanitation of the mouth, though exactly what they were swishing is a mystery today. Some Ancient Romans reportedly used urine as an oral disinfectant (and, for some reason, primarily used Portuguese urine), while many Pre-Columbian Mesoamericans used rinses made of salt water often infused with plant extracts both to cleanse their teeth and to soothe aches and pains in the mouth.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the latter half of the 19th century, the pioneering work of Sir Joseph Lister would change the way people performed surgery, with the medical community adhering to new standards of cleanliness and adopting the use of antiseptics in all surgical procedures. While first applied to an antiseptic used to sterilize surgical instruments, today the eponymous Listerine is arguably the most famous brand of mouthwash. Although Listerine has long been my household's go-to mouthwash choice, it might not be right for yours. Why? Because that stuff's intense, man, no two ways about it.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But don't worry, there are myriad brands of mouthwash out there, and many are specially formulated to appeal to narrow sectors within the oral care marketplace. So whether you're looking for intense, eye-watering rinse mouthwash that lets you know you just must be slaughtering bacteria by the millions or you prefer a gentler, more palatable rinse that won't feel like breathing fire, we've found an option for you. Whether you prefer an all-natural mouthwash made with ingredients you can readily pronounce or you want to go full-on science and trust the methyl salicylate and propylene glycol to do their thing, then you're looking in the right place.</span></p><h2>Here are the best mouthwash brands you can buy:</h2><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Best mouthwash overall: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UTJK6J2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biipgf_031918_best-mouthwash-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B00UTJK6J2&amp;linkId=1561f199acf5b993342780c868c8cbbf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best mouthwash for fresh breath: <a href="http://amzn.to/2FNepNW" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crest Scope Outlast Mouthwash</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best gentle mouthwash: <a href="https://amzn.to/2pndV60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CloSYS Gentle Mint Mouthwash</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best natural mouthwash: <a href="http://amzn.to/2FJpkIp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncle Harry's Natural Products Miracle Mouthwash</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best fluoride mouthwash: <a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=2149&amp;u1=biipgf031918bestmouthwash&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FACT-Mint-Anticavity-Flouride-Mouthwash-18-oz%2F10307705" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACT Anticavity Flouride Rinse Mouthwash</a></strong></li></ul><p><em>Updated on 5/17/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices.</em></p><h3>Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.</h3><p class="tagline"><p style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p></p>

The best mouthwash you can buy

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Riedel</span></p><p class="caption">Decanting your wine can have an impact on aroma and taste.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Maximilian Riedel, CEO of glassware company Riedel, believes every wine should be decanted - even Champagne.</li><li>For old wines, this is because sediment settles at the bottom of the bottle.</li><li>For new wines, decanting helps to naturally age the wine.</li><li>It doesn't need to be done hours before - decanting your wine right before you drink it can still make a difference.</li></ul><p>When it comes to wine, what you drink it from can be just as important as what you're drinking.</p><p>From <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-glass-to-drink-champagne-from-is-not-a-flute-2018-2?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swapping a narrow Champagne flute for a tulip-shaped one</a> to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-wine-glass-to-use-for-sauvignon-blanc-chardonnay-pinot-noir-bordeaux-2018-2?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">picking the right glass</a> for your Bordeaux, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir, there's plenty to learn about the world of glassware.</p><p>But one thing many people don't realise is that what you do before you drink it is also key to getting the most from your wine.</p><p>Maximilian Riedel, CEO of glassware company Riedel, told Business Insider that he believes every wine should be decanted before you drink it - even Champagne.</p><p>"I am a firm believer that every wine must be decanted," he said. "When I say every wine, I truly mean sparkling and still."</p><p>A family run Austrian company that was established in 1756, Riedel is one of the world's most well-known producers of wine glasses - so Riedel himself knows a thing or two about what's best for your bottle.</p><h2>Decanting started with Champagne</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Antony Jones/Getty</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>He explained that the concept of decanting actually started with Champagne.</p><p>"Champagne is, thanks to the second fermentation through the yeast in the bottle, the ageing process, one of those wines that in the old times had to be decanted to split the wine from the yeast," he said. With modern Champagne, however, it's done with a machine.</p><p>"The yeast over time moves into the neck of the bottle. There it gets, nowadays, frozen, and you remove it, then you refill it with a special liqueur. Every Champagne house does this, but this is a very modern technique to remove the yeast.</p><p>"In the old days, you bought the Champagne, took it home, then you had to gently decant it to keep the yeast in the base of the bottle."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Riedel</span></p><p class="caption">Maximilian Riedel, CEO of glassware company Riedel.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>He said that despite the fact Champagne is "the most ancient thing to do," for most people it seems like something new.</p><p>"Everyone is afraid that if you decant Champagne that you lose the bubbles, but the difference between Prosecco and Champagne, in Champagne the bubble are binded, it's not artificial. The bubbles grew up, they were bred in the bottle of Champagne, through the fermentation. With Prosecco you're just adding CO2."</p><h2>Old wines need to be decanted to get rid of sediment...</h2><p>It's well understood that wine tastes better as it ages. However, Riedel explained that with old wines, over time, sediment settles in the bottom of the bottle, so they need to be decanted.</p><p>"People don't like the feel or taste of sediment," he said.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Riedel</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>...But young wines need to be aged</h2><p>However, he said that nowadays "nobody can afford to drink these old wines, [so] at most restaurants the wines on average are very young.</p><p>"Storing wine for time [also] needs space, and space has become very expensive, especially in the big cities."</p><p>That means people are drinking young wine - and it also needs to be decanted, but for different reasons.</p><p>"Young wine must be decanted because young wine is like a young person - they have yet to settle, they're all over the place. The only way to mature them is through time, the ageing process."</p><h2>You should even decant rosé</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock.com</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>"I am the guy who decants Champagne, white wine, red wine, and rosé wine," he said. "When I posted once on social media me decanting rose, I had a lot of questions, a lot of doubters. But people who love rose like I do know that sometimes you still have a lot of the gas that they use to kill germs etc. in wine, that sometimes the sulfate is still notable on the nose, and the only way to really get rid of it and enjoy wine that young is by decanting it."</p><h2>It doesn't need to take hours</h2><p>While he's obviously a proponent of decanting, Riedel added that you don't need to use a decanter if you have time to open a bottle of wine five to eight hours before drinking it.</p><p>"Then you would not need a decanter because there's enough oxygen exchange with the bottle," he said.</p><p>However, if you don't have the time to plan out your day, decanting right before you drink it will still make a difference.</p><p>"If I now open a fresh bottle of wine and pour it into a glass, and the other one I pour into the decanter then into the glass, you, and everybody else, would notice a difference, in smell and in taste," he said. "After five hours open in the bottle, in the glass, and in the decanter, it tastes the same."</p><p>In busy restaurants, Riedel added that the most simple way to decant is from one bottle to another. "It's very similar," he said.</p><h2>You need to pick the right one</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Riedel</span></p><p class="caption">The "Eve" decanter.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Decanters come in all different shapes and sizes.</p><p>"For me when it stands on its own it's like a piece of art," Riedeil said. "There are very few art pieces you can actually use on a daily basis."</p><p>He said that a small decanter is good for white wines, because it can fit into an ice bucket to keep the temperature.</p><p>Meanwhile, a big decanter like his "Eve" design exists to stretch a young wine.</p><p>"In particular wines that have power in the fruit, high in alcohol, the decanter stretches the wine and naturally matures it," he said. He explained that as the wine flows through the decanter, it "naturally ages, gets rounded, softer, brings forward the primary aroma in the wine."</p><p>He said the more you rotate the wine through the decanter, the more oxygen you're pumping into it - which means you're naturally ageing it.</p><p>Meanwhile, he said a decanter like this might "rip apart" an old wine.</p><p>If you're not sure where to start, Riedel says you can even try a flower vase that has the shape of a decanter "just to try it."</p><p>"If you really fall in love with the concept and believe it makes a different, then you can start investing money," he said. "You can go for affordable to very expensive."</p><p>The lowest-end decanter from Riedel - its machine-made single bottle size - costs £40, while the Eve design will set you back a whopping £495.</p><h2>They're not that hard to wash</h2><p>Riedel - who is a proponent of putting wine glasses in the dishwasher - said there's nothing wrong with your decanter looking used.</p><p>In order to wash it, however, he recommends filling the inside two to three times with warm water, then leaving it overnight to absorb the colour pixels.</p><p>"If you want to try to avoid water stains, use a hairdryer," he added. "It sucks out the humidity."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nikon-small-world-winning-footage-microscopic-world-around-us-2018-9">Award-winning footage of the microscopic world around us</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

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