August 5, 2025: The Microbe Party

At first glance, it looks like a sad little pancake.

But it didn’t fall off the griddle. No, it came from somewhere else.

In the south, we call it a cow chip, the gift our bovine friends leave behind in a field which then hardens into a crusty, sun-baked souvenir.

In college, a buddy took a dare and bit into one. I’m not sure what possessed him. Probably the cheers of a hyped-up crowd and an undeveloped frontal lobe found in young males.

I thought about that today when I read about water bottles being left in cars. Seems harmless. Just clear liquid under a cap, right?

But whoa. Scientists say microbes grow in partly consumed beverages, especially at warm temps, and these liquids become a tropical Club Med for germs.

So next time you reach for a forgotten bottle rolling under your seat, think twice. You may be drinking millions of tiny stowaways throwing a microscopic party in your mouth.

Your innocent Aquafina becomes a Petri dish.

Cow chips, water bottles.

Stay safe out there.