Beards: wisom vs. microbes

So what’s with academics infatuation with facial hair? I suppose its perhaps less common these days, but facial hair is certainly more commonly seen in universities than on the street. Jake Young’s theory (from Pure Pedantry) is that it extends from the necessary slovenliness that comes with being a grad student.

In any case, having a beard can pose problems, especially for those microbiologists, because beards happen to be an excellent substrate for microbes. It then becomes as issue of balancing wisdom vs. safety.

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