Most people probably think that to start eating healthier, they have to give up all the junk foods they enjoy most. This is patently wrong. Many foods even have hidden health benefits (like video game power-ups without the cool sound effects). Here are eight of the coolest.

8 Candy Extends Lifespan

Some scientists, who possibly felt that their own childhoods had lacked serious candy saturation, decided that they should give children candy—lots of it—and see what happened. It turned out that the children who regularly ate sugar candy ended up healthier, weighed less and were at a lower risk for heart disease. Fantastic: time to start ordering in bulk!

Not so fast: another study found that those effects change over time. Adults who were daily candy eaters were likely to weigh slightly more than non-indulgers.

But . . . even though they weighed a little more, the adult candy-eaters also lived longer, up to one year. If all we have to do for an entire extra year of life is pop a handful of Skittles every day, then sign us up.

7 Popcorn Lowers Cancer Risk

A classic movie theater junk food might actually save your life. Popcorn is loaded with antioxidants called polyphenols. Polyphenols are known to reduce cancer risk and other things like heart disease. One serving of popcorn has more polyphenols than a whole day’s worth of fruit and vegetables. Of course, the gallon of processed butter is perhaps less than fantastic for you, so the drier your popcorn the better, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw taste out the window.

6 Gum is Brain Food

Most people view chewing gum as little more than a treat. You probably don’t even realize you need gum until you’re puckering up for that all-important first kiss (and even then you have to figure out how to quietly swallow it at the last second anyway). But does it actually do anything for your body?

For starters, it’ll improve your short-term memory and brain performance. And that’s not all: for several hours after chewing, you’ll have reduced appetite and food cravings (especially those of the dangerous snack and dessert varieties). Essentially, you’re fooling yourself. If you’re chewing, your body thinks it’s taking in nutrients.

5 Chili Peppers Relieve Aches

How about chili peppers? They aren’t junk food, but they’re certainly not considered diet food (unless you count the possible food-related PTSD your tongue will get after consuming one too many). What secret health benefit are they hiding from you? Some varieties of chili contain more vitamin C per pound than the hallowed king of the vitamin world: oranges. And though it seems counterintuitive, the ancient Mayans ate chilies to cure stomachaches.

All right, we’ve improved on stomachache cures, but did you know chili peppers are still used in medical applications today? You don’t eat them; you smear them on your skin. Chilies are commonly used in ointments and creams for muscular aches. If you’ve ever handled chilies and then rubbed your eyes or touched any other sensitive areas, you know that stuff can burn. Well, in ointments, the chilies are used to help create that “deep heating” feeling. (You still may want to avoid those sensitive areas.)

4 Natural Sugar is Good for Teeth

How about just regular old sugar? Well, scientists found a natural replacement for sugar. Aside from the fact that xylitol sounds like a xylophone-wielding comic book villain, the stuff is actually pretty good for you. It’s being used in chewing gums, mints and other hard candies instead of sugar because it has fewer calories and is actually beneficial for your teeth. When consumed regularly (in moderation, of course), the mouth produces less plaque and lactic acid, both of which are responsible for decaying teeth.

Not only will they spruce up your mouth, but children who consume xylitol twice a day cut their risk of ear infections by 25 percent. Nothing is worse than a child screaming in pain from ear infections and cavities, but science would like to let you know that the answer is to stuff them with sugar substitute.

3 Chocolate is Good for Your Heart

It’s pretty common knowledge by now that chocolate (quality dark chocolate, not some Hershey’s vomit-scented knock-off) benefits blood pressure and heart function when consumed daily in moderate quantities. Of course, you can’t expect your prescription drug company to recognize that, but maybe your skin care company will think about adding chocolate to their product lines because it’s actually good for your skin, too.

Surprisingly, eating a little chocolate moistens your skin, makes it smoother and protects it against sunburn. You could forget that expensive prescription cream with all the bells and whistles and just enjoy some chocolate. It all comes down to the antioxidants and flavanols that chocolate contains, which are beneficial compounds found in high concentrations in some foods, including chocolates and wines.

And when you throw in the fact that the flavanols in chocolate improve muscle function and regeneration, you might ease up on that ridiculous home video workout routine you’re killing yourself with and run to the grocery store instead.

2 Gelato as a Meal Replacement

If you’ve ever been to New Jersey, you know how much Italians love their spray tans. But if you’ve ever been to Italy, you know that real Italians love their gelato even more. So it should come as no surprise to learn that Italian scientists wanted to study their national food and it didn’t take too long for them to start singing gelato’s praises. Gelato has diverse nutritional value, containing proteins, sugars, fats and calories similar to a lunch-sized meal. So what did these enterprising scientists decide? You can safely skip lunch and go to the ice cream shop instead, earning them the rage of fad diet planners everywhere.

1 Cake, Bacon, and Eggs

Scientists like a good laugh as much as anyone, so they took people who were already fat and then fed those people cake for breakfast. But instead of gaining weight, the researchers found that eating cake or a similar dessert sweet in the morning could lead to significant weight loss. And there isn’t even any fine print: adding a breakfast sweet was the only “lifestyle change” these people made.

The key here is getting the sugary stuff out of the way early in the day. Your body is most active in the morning, especially in digesting food. You’re also giving it all day to use up the energy. Eating large evening meals often causes your body to just start storing (that’s called ‘fat’) because it doesn’t have anything to do with the energy you’ve given it.

Modern medicine can do some pretty miraculous stuff. Yet many dangers that kill people every year don’t need sci-fi technology to solve the problem. Often, humans are just careless, lazy, or shortsighted. Changing our habits prevents millions of deaths, and the solutions are sometimes shockingly simple.

10A Box Of Clothes Vastly Improved Finland’s Infant Mortality Rate

During the early 1940s, Finland had a big problem with infant mortality. At one stage, 9 percent of all babies died early in life. To tackle the problem, the government started giving all expectant mothers a box containing a selection of useful items. These included clothes, bedding, grooming products, and other newborn essentials. Today, parents even get condoms. Bottles and disposable diapers were in for a while but were removed in 2006 to encourage breast feeding and protect the environment. Reusable cloth diapers are included instead.

One of the box’s most unusual features is that it comes with a mattress,. For many Finnish babies, the cardboard box itself is their first bed. This has broken the habit of babies sleeping in the parents’ bed, which is a known factor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. As a result, Finland’s infant mortality rate has dropped significantly since the box was introduced.

The box has become a staple of parenthood in Finland, and it’s popular among people of all incomes. People can instead opt for €140, but only 5 percent of parents take the cash. Many who do are on their second child and simply reuse the box they got for their firstborn. It’s so important to the Finns that some expats, who aren’t eligible to get it for free, actually pay for one and have relatives send it by post.

9Smaller Packets Prevent Overdoses

Buying headache pills in the UK is very different from doing so in the US. Americans can pick up a 500-pill bottle of acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, quite easily. In the UK, it’s known as paracetamol, and the largest packet you’ll find in a supermarket holds 16 pills. On top of that, it always comes in blister packs, with each pill stored separately.

The difference is due to a law passed in the UK in September 1998. Restricting pills prevents overdoses. It’s still very possible to acquire 500 pills. Many stores stock them cheaply, and you can buy more than 100 at once without a prescription. It’s just inconvenient, but that’s enough to keep many people from abusing them.

In the first year after the law came into effect, one hospital in Newcastle saw average overdose referrals drop from 2.5 per month to 1. At London’s Royal Free Hospital, paracetamol overdoses dropped by 21 percent in the same period. A more recent study found that in the first 11 years after the change, an estimated 765 lives were saved. In addition, the number of registrations for liver transplants for people affected by paracetamol toxicity was reduced by 61 percent.

8Longer Colonoscopies Encourage Repeat Visits

When cancer deaths dropped in the US between 2006 and 2007, 65 percent of the lives saved across all cancers was due to improved colorectal screening. Yet it could be better—only half of eligible adults were getting the routine procedure. A lot of people got their first one but didn’t return for a second because they found it unpleasant.

Researchers thought that they could improve repeat screening rates by influencing how people remember the procedure. The method they came up with seems ludicrous: They left the camera inserted for a few minutes longer right at the end. The camera resting in the bowel once the screening ends is a much less uncomfortable experience than what comes before, when it moves around inside.

Patients reported the screening as less painful overall with the camera in for longer. The result was an increase in people returning for a follow-up colonoscopy, raising the chance of detecting cancer while it can still be treated.

7Nils Bohlin’s Seat Belt

The seat belt is one of the most well-known life saving devices in the world. Yet a belt only helps if people wear it. Every year in the US, around 5,000 people still die in accidents they’d have survived had they worn their belt.

That number would be higher but for Nils Bohlin. The aircraft designer worked for Volvo in the 1950s and realized human nature was the problem. He said, “The pilots I worked with were willing to put on almost anything to keep them safe in case of a crash, but regular people in cars don’t want to be uncomfortable even for a minute. ”

People skipped belting up because it took too long. His solution was the famous three-point belt with a simple clip, which can be put on in seconds with a single hand.

6Text Messages Save Diabetics

The human memory can be pretty awful. We’re easily distracted. That’s bad news for diabetes patients, who need to regularly check their blood glucose levels and take medication. Modern technology offers an interesting solution: Send people frequent reminders by text.

Teenagers get distracted a lot and also check texts a lot. A pilot study in Ohio found that text reminders increased treatment adherence among adolescents. In fact, after three months, patients who received frequent texts were three times less likely to forget to take their medication.

Another University of Chicago study on 74 staff members found similar results. Those with the worst blood sugar before the trial showed the biggest overall improvement. Total cost of care, including complications, dropped 8.8 percent.

People who aren’t diabetics get medical benefits from texts, too. Improper contraceptive use results in one million unintended pregnancies every year in the US. When researchers sent text reminders to women, the fraction taking oral contraceptives rose from 54 to 64 percent. Half even asked to continue receiving the messages once the study was over.

5Typed Prescriptions Reduce Errors

Among doctors’ many fine qualities, handwriting doesn’t rank very highly. That’s a big problem because handwritten prescriptions dominate in US healthcare, and one study found that 37 percent of these handwritten prescriptions result in an error. That doesn’t even count totally unreadable prescriptions, where pharmacists have to call the prescriber.

Every year, 7,000 die due to hospital medication errors. One study found that 61 percent of medication errors result from poor handwriting.

The solution is simple: Type prescriptions out on a computer. The 37-percent error rate for handwritten prescriptions drops to 7 percent with a computerized system. But there are two barriers to change. First, physicians are often set in their ways. Second, a suitable system costs money. While error reductions could save money in the long term, hospitals are reluctant to invest the upfront fees.

Australia addressed the problem in the 1990s with incentives, and now 90 percent of their prescriptions are issued electronically.

4K1 Syringe

Every year, dirty syringes kill 1.3 million people. While some victims use illicit drugs, most simply receive injections from clinics with limited funds. Using every syringe twice halves the number a facility needs to buy, adding up to significant savings. Yet given that diseases from reused syringes cost $100 billion annually, it’ll be much better for everyone if reuse just stopped.

Inventor Mark Koska’s solution was the K1 Auto Disable Syringe. It can be used only once—once the plunger goes down, it locks and can’t be drawn back. And it costs the same to manufacture as a standard syringe.

Koska received an anonymous video from Tanzania of a needle being used on four-year-old, then an adult HIV patient, and then a one-year-old baby. When he showed the video to a Tanzanian minister, the government agreed to use his syringes exclusively. The program costs an extra $7 million but will save $70 million each year.

3Tetris Reduces Trauma

After playing the game Tetris for an extended length of time, you start seeing blocks everywhere. There are blocks when you dream, blocks when you close your eyes . . . everything in your world becomes blocks. The same thing can happen with any repetitive pattern game—people may be more familiar with it from games like Candy Crush nowadays.

The widely experienced phenomenon speaks to the unusual way games like Tetris play with our brains. This convinced researchers to look into how it affects those with mental health problems, and they’ve found something curious. Tetris seems to protect against PTSD and flashbacks.

Researchers showed experiment participants a disturbing film. During the next six hours, some answered trivia, some played Tetris, and others did nothing much at all. Over the following week, people who’d played the 1980s classic had far fewer flashbacks.

The psychologist behind the study believes the spatial concentration required to play may interfere with how the brain consolidates traumatic memories.

2Lucky Iron Fish

Iron deficiency is the most widespread health problem worldwide. In developing countries, it affects half of all pregnant women and 40 percent of young children. Anemia contributes to 20 percent of maternal deaths. It impairs physical and cognitive development and reduces adult productivity. It’s the only nutrient deficiency that significantly affects industrialized nations. In total, it hurts around two billion people.

Cambodia is one of the countries most affected. Much of the population survives on less than a dollar per day and can’t afford red meat or other foods high in iron. Cooking food in an iron pot can leach iron safely into a meal, but iron cooking pots are expensive, and most of Cambodia’s population cook in aluminum.

In 2008, Canadian epidemiologist Christopher Charles had the idea to give locals a lump of iron to put in their cooking pots. Local women didn’t like the idea and used the lumps as doorstops instead. He tried an iron piece in the shape of a lotus leaf, but that proved just as unpopular. Then he hit a breakthrough.

Local elders told Charles about the kantrop, a popular fish considered good luck. Charles gave an iron fish charm to every household in a rural village. The local women happily put the symbol of luck into their cooking pots, and within a year, almost all cases of anemia in the village had disappeared.

The fish provides 75 percent of the daily requirement of iron, and lasts for up to five years. The work of distributing the fish is ongoing, and people can donate to the project online.

1The Sign That Stops Suicides

Japan’s most infamous suicide spot is Aokigahara, a forest on the northwestern base of Mount Fuji. Hundreds of people attempt suicide there every year. Many suffer from debt. For example, police found one 44-year-old man after two weeks in the forest, weak but alive. He owed 1.5 million Yen ($15,000) to a consumer loan company.

So in 2007, a loan shark victims’ association put up a sign in the forest. The sign includes the phone number of a hotline to talk about financial woes, along with the following simple message: “Your loan problem can definitely be solved.”

Within a year, 29 people called the helpline from within the forest itself. All had planned to kill themselves, and all decided not to.

+Lists Save Lives

Modern medical care can go spectacularly wrong, often due to doctors’ carelessness and forgetfulness. One effective way to overcome human error is to use simple lists.

For example, half of intensive-care patients in the US receive a catheter as part of their treatment. Around 80,000 of them end up with an infection as a result, and 28,000 die from their infections. A trial at nine hospitals in the US introduced a five-point checklist for people receiving catheters. The list was simple: Wash hands with soap, clean the patient’s skin, apply sterile drapes, wear sterile clothes, and then dress the catheter site. When the checklist was implemented, the hospitals eliminated all infections, saving 1,500 lives.

In industrialized countries, a quarter of inpatient surgeries result in complications, comprising half of all adverse events in hospitals. Half of those are preventable. To reduce those numbers, the WHO created a 19-point checklist for use in all surgeries. Some of the steps are surprisingly simple, including every team member introducing themselves at the start of a surgery. Yet it’s been tried in dozens of countries, and it reduced complications by one-third. In one analysis, deaths due to surgical mistakes were halved by having a checklist in place.

Germs are crafty little invaders, often thriving in the everyday items we take for granted. We might feel confident tossing groceries into reusable shopping bags or taking a sip from a water bottle, but these seemingly harmless objects can be hiding more bacteria than we’d ever imagine. In our busy lives, it’s easy to overlook just how dirty some of our most commonly used items can get.

Think about it: when did you last clean your credit cards or give your yoga mat a good scrub? These things are part of our daily routines, yet they can quickly turn into breeding grounds for germs if we’re not paying attention. The truth is, the real germ hotspots aren’t just in obvious places like public restrooms; they’re often right in front of us, blending into the background of our everyday lives.

This list explores ten surprisingly germy everyday items and gives you simple, practical tips on keeping them clean. With just a little more awareness and a few easy habits, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the hidden bacteria that might be closer than you think.

Related: Top 10 Ways Binge-Watching Is Ruining Your Health

10 Reusable Shopping Bags

We all love the idea of reusable shopping bags—they’re eco-friendly, sturdy, and help cut down on plastic waste. But there’s a downside most people don’t think about: These bags can be a surprising source of bacteria. Dr. Ryan Sinclair was involved with a study by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University of Public Health that examined reusable grocery bags. It found that while these bags are used over and over, they’re rarely cleaned. As a result, they can easily become a breeding ground for germs. In the study, nearly every bag tested contained large amounts of bacteria, with coliform bacteria found in half of them. Even more concerning, E. coli was detected in 12% of the bags.

The problem doesn’t stop there. When these bags are left in the warm confines of a car trunk, the bacteria inside can multiply rapidly. Dr. Sinclair’s research showed that just two hours of exposure to meat juices in a car trunk could cause bacteria to increase tenfold. That’s a serious health risk, especially if you’re using the same bag for groceries week after week without washing it.

Luckily, the solution is simple: wash your bags regularly. Whether by hand or in the washing machine, cleaning your reusable bags can eliminate more than 99.9% of bacteria. It’s a small step that can make a big difference in keeping your groceries—and your kitchen—safe.^[1]

9 Water Bottles

Reusable water bottles are a fantastic way to stay hydrated and cut down on plastic waste, but they might be harboring more bacteria than you realize. Believe it or not, these bottles can hold an average of 20.8 million colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria—40,000 times more than what’s typically found on a toilet seat. Each time you take a sip, you’re transferring bacteria from your mouth to the bottle, where it thrives in the moist environment inside.

The misconception that water bottles don’t need frequent cleaning because they only contain water is widespread, but it’s dangerous. Harmful bacteria like E. coli can quickly multiply, potentially leading to stomach troubles such as diarrhea or vomiting. And it’s not just the inside of the bottle you need to worry about; those tricky crevices in screw tops or under flip-up straws can develop mold, adding another layer of risk.

To keep your water bottle safe, it’s crucial to wash it regularly—ideally after every use. A quick rinse with hot, soapy water will usually do the trick, but if it’s been neglected for a few days, a deeper clean using a vinegar and water solution might be in order. These small steps can make a big difference in keeping your bottle—and your health—squeaky clean.^[2]

8 Credit and Debit Cards

You might not realize it, but your credit and debit cards could be some of the dirtiest things you touch every day. A study by Queen Mary University in London found that 8% of credit cards carry bacteria, including staph and even fecal matter. In fact, 1 in 12 bank cards has traces of fecal bacteria on it. Every time you swipe or hand over your card, those germs can transfer to your hands and then to whatever you touch next.

Dr. Alan Taege, an infectious disease expert, points out that anything passed from hand to hand, like money or credit cards, is likely to pick up all kinds of germs. The problem is that once those bacteria are on your hands, they can easily make their way to your face, especially if you touch your eyes or mouth without thinking. This simple act can increase your risk of getting sick.

To keep these hidden germs in check, make it a habit to wipe down your cards regularly, especially after heavy use. Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you when you’re out and about can also help reduce the spread of bacteria. These small steps can go a long way in keeping you healthier.^[3]

7 Yoga Mats

Your yoga mat might be your sanctuary for relaxation and fitness, but it’s also a hotspot for bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Unwashed mats can quickly become breeding grounds for germs that cause skin infections like athlete’s foot and staph. These pesky microbes love the warm, moist environment created by your sweat, especially after a tough session in a hot yoga studio.

Even if you always bring your own mat to the gym, you’re not completely in the clear. Germs can easily transfer from the gym floor or someone else’s shoes onto your mat. And it’s not just skin infections you need to worry about—your mat can also harbor cold and flu viruses that stick around for days, just waiting for a chance to make you sick.

To keep your mat (and yourself) germ-free, make cleaning it a regular habit. If you’re using it in a gym or class, give it a good wipe down before and after every use. At home, a thorough clean once a week should do the trick, but if you’re prone to sweating or have sensitive skin, consider upping the frequency.^[4]

6 Public Touchscreens

Public touchscreens have made life more convenient, but they’re also crawling with harmful bacteria. A study from London Metropolitan University revealed that these screens are often contaminated with bacteria from human and animal feces, including Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus. These germs can lead to anything from mild skin infections to serious conditions like meningitis or blood poisoning. Even more alarming is the presence of listeria, a bacterium that can cause severe foodborne illnesses.

These bacteria thrive on surfaces touched by countless people every day, making public touchscreens a perfect breeding ground. Whether checking in at the airport, ordering food at a kiosk, or picking a movie on a plane, you’re likely coming into contact with these invisible threats. While places might clean these screens periodically, it’s unrealistic to think they’re sanitized after every use.

To protect yourself, make a habit of washing your hands or using hand sanitizer right after using a public touchscreen, especially before eating or touching your face. These small steps can go a long way in keeping you safe from the germs lurking on these frequently touched surfaces.^[5]

5 Contact Lenses and Cases

Wearing contact lenses is a convenient way to correct your vision, but if you’re not careful, they can turn into serious germ magnets. When lenses aren’t cleaned or stored properly, they can lead to infections like microbial keratitis, a painful inflammation of the cornea caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or even parasites. In severe cases, this condition can result in blindness or require a corneal transplant.

Microbial keratitis often strikes when lenses are worn for too long or aren’t disinfected as they should be. The symptoms—red, irritated eyes, worsening pain, light sensitivity, and sudden blurry vision—are warning signs that shouldn’t be ignored. If you notice any of these, take your lenses out immediately and see an eye doctor to prevent further damage.

The good news is that these risks are avoidable. By following proper cleaning and storage guidelines for your lenses and regularly replacing your lens case, you can keep your eyes healthy and free from infection. Taking these small steps can make a big difference in protecting your vision.^[6]

4 Makeup Brushes and Sponges

Your makeup might look on point, but if you’re not cleaning your brushes and sponges regularly, you could be inviting bacteria to the party. A study from Aston University revealed that 9 out of 10 makeup products, including lipsticks, eyeliners, and mascara, were contaminated with bacteria like E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The worst culprits? Makeup sponges, with a staggering 96% harboring fungus. Even more alarming, 93% of those sponges had never been cleaned, and 64% had been dropped on the floor.

Using dirty makeup tools isn’t just gross—it can lead to serious skin infections, breakouts, and even more severe health issues like blood poisoning, especially if you’re applying makeup to broken skin or around your eyes and mouth. If you’re not cleaning your tools regularly, you’re putting your skin at risk every time you get ready.

The good news? It’s easy to fix. Make a habit of cleaning and sanitizing your brushes and sponges after each use. This simple step can keep your beauty routine safe and your skin healthy.^[7]

3 Tattoo Ink and Permanent Makeup

Getting a tattoo or permanent makeup might seem like a bold way to express yourself, but there are some serious risks you might not see. Recent research by the FDA revealed that even sealed and supposedly sterile bottles of tattoo and permanent makeup ink can be teeming with dangerous bacteria. Once injected into your skin, these pathogens can travel through your bloodstream, leading to severe complications like sepsis—a life-threatening condition that can cause organ failure.

But that’s not all. Contaminated ink can also cause painful skin infections, rashes, and deep tissue infections like cellulitis. The risks are even higher if you have multiple or large tattoos since more ink means more exposure to harmful germs. And if you’re thinking about getting permanent makeup, especially around your eyes, be aware that bacteria in the ink could cause severe infections in this sensitive area.

To protect yourself, always make sure your tattoo artist follows strict hygiene practices and uses only well-tested, sterile inks. Taking these precautions can help keep your body art beautiful and safe.^[8]

2 Kitchen Cutting Boards

Choosing the right cutting board isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a critical decision for your kitchen’s hygiene. Wooden cutting boards have long been a favorite thanks to their natural antimicrobial properties. They absorb and trap bacteria in their fine grains, allowing these germs to die off as the board dries. However, if not properly maintained, deep knife grooves can still harbor harmful bacteria, making cleanliness crucial.

Plastic cutting boards might seem like a safer bet because they’re lightweight and easy to toss in the dishwasher. However, a recent study found that plastic boards can shed microplastics into your food, and over time, grooves from knife cuts can turn into bacterial hideouts. Even though they’re easy to clean, these hidden germs can persist if the boards aren’t regularly sanitized.

Then there are glass cutting boards—easy to sanitize but tough on your knives. Their hard surface can dull your blades quickly and increase the risk of slipping, leading to potential kitchen accidents. No matter what type of cutting board you use, regular cleaning and proper sanitizing are essential to keep your kitchen safe from unwanted bacteria.^[9]

1 Cell Phones

Your smartphone is with you everywhere you go, but it’s also carrying something you might not expect: thousands of germs. In fact, studies show that the average cell phone harbors more bacteria than a toilet seat—over 25,000 bacteria per square inch. From resting on public tables to being handled with unwashed hands, your phone collects germs from all the places it’s been, including the bathroom. The warm surface of your phone is a perfect environment for bacteria like E. coli and Staphylococcus to thrive.

Every time you touch your phone, you’re transferring these germs to your hands, face, and everything else you come into contact with. This can lead to anything from minor skin irritations to more serious infections like gastrointestinal issues. Considering how often we use our phones, the risk of spreading these bacteria is alarmingly high.

To keep your phone from becoming a health hazard, make it a habit to clean it regularly with alcohol-based wipes or a UV sanitizer. This simple step can help protect you from the invisible dangers lurking on your favorite device.^[10]

Effective advertising in current times is something that can reach out and grab your attention. Billboards have been around for over 100 years capturing the attention of drivers and citizens looming over the sides of businesses and roads. This list contains some billboards that have pushed grabbing the public’s attention to a whole new level. The controversies behind the billboards shown here range from too risqué and sexual to downright over exaggeration.

See Also: 10 Advertising Lies We’ve All Been Fed

10 Funeral Billboards

In a seemingly creative way to attempt to create their own customers, Bergemann & Son Funeral Services has caught a lot of backlash for their billboard in a Berlin subway station. People that see the advertisement have been both humored and disgusted by the tongue-in-cheek placement of the advertisement. The ad itself is very simplistic with the phrase “Come a little closer” in black lettering on a plan white background. The genius and controversy of the billboard comes from the fact that it is positioned behind the tracks of the subway. Many feel the billboard to be too morbid and disturbing because of its subliminally suicidal message. Likewise, in a billboard promoting Thomas Dobies Funeral Home, the phrase “You’ve always said you wouldn’t be caught dead in that dress” is positioned above the phrase “You’d better tell them now.” Many believe this advertisement to be tasteless and don’t find much humor in joking about death. Whether or not the billboards have been detrimental to the companies’ reputation, one has to admit that they have been extremely successful in getting the companies’ names out there.^[1]

9 Rainy Roads Billboard

Most of us have encountered the jerks on the road that think it’s still okay to continue driving 90mph in a heavy rain as if the skies were totally clear. The government in Papakura, New Zealand apparently had enough of the high amount of accidents that were reported during stormy weather and decided the best way to raise awareness would be to erect a shockingly gruesome billboard on the side of the road. In clear skies, the billboard depicts the picture of a normal little boy with the phrase “Rain changes everything. Please drive to the conditions”. In rainy weather however, the billboard is designed to change the boys picture by adding blood that streams out of his noses, eyes, and ears. The billboard has proven pretty effective by shocking drivers into going slower during storms. While the advertisement is incredibly creative, it seems to me that even though lives are saved as drivers slow down, the sheer distraction of the billboard itself may lead to just as many people dying by taking their eyes off the road to gawk at it.^[2]

8 Playstation

A billboard was put up in Holland to promote Sony’s release of a new white Playstation console, and many people have complained that it is controversially racial. The billboard depicts a clearly dominant white women holding onto the face of a black woman almost hidden by the black background. The phrase “Playstation Portable White is coming” is displayed next to the dramatic scene. Sony claimed to have used the racial depiction to try and make a strong distinction between the black and white models of the Playstation. Most people who saw the billboard were not amused or convinced that their tactics were unintentionally racial. Sony reported that they had no intention of running the ad in the United States, but the Dutch citizens were no less shocked by the implications of the ad than the Americans were who saw it. Due to the incredible backlash Sony received for the billboard, they quickly took it down in response to public outcry.^[3]

7 Atheist Billboards

In an attempt to combat the growing amount of religious advertisements popping up, the atheists of America have responded by taking full advantage of their right to freedom of speech and religion. With billboards stating “Hell no we’re not giving up pizza for Lent,” “There is no God. Don’t believe everything you hear,” and “Slaves, obey your masters,” many people both religious and non-religious have found controversy in the ways they are delivering their messages. Atheist organizations such as the American Atheists and Mid Ohio Atheists have been posting billboards to gain support for their cause. Citizens in the community find the billboards much too blunt and offensive for their liking. While the right to express their opinions is respected, the controversy of messages on the billboards themselves matches the controversy of the subject that they represent.^[4]

6 Religious Billboards

Many pro-religion groups were not ready to take the attacks from the above atheist billboards lying down. In rebuttal, they also host their own array of controversial billboards fighting in the ideological tug o’ war. In a billboard sponsored by the group Answers in Genesis, a small boy is depicted aiming a gun next to the phrase “If God doesn’t matter to him, do you?” This has sparked a lot of controversy over its implications that atheists are violent or dangerous. The group has gotten a lot of criticism for the billboards because many think such a drastic rebuttal was unnecessary to get their point across. Many pro-religious groups also find fault with the billboard feeling that it’s giving off the wrong message by attacking atheists rather than supporting Christianity.^[5]

5 9/11 Voting billboards

While using extreme tactics to get voters attention and support are not new to the political race, using the deaths over 2,000 Americans to do so has caused huge uproar from the public. The billboard on the top could be found in Florida, built by a staunch republican known as Mike Meehan. It depicts an image of the twin towers surrounded by smoke next to the phrase “Please Don’t Vote for A Democrat.” People who see this controversial billboard are outraged at Meehan’s audacity to use such an event to support his political cause. Meehan has stated that he holds “the entire Democratic Party responsible for the attacks on 9/11” (because we all know that is a completely rational statement to make). Furthermore he hoped the billboard would be able to grab the attention of the public and government to put more effort into the “war on terrorism.” Meehan is fully aware that his ads offends people and sees this as a good thing because it helps get his word out to build support.

The other billboard, built by the group Concerned Citizens for a Better America in Seattle Washington, reminds citizens to “remember September 11, 2011” when they cast their vote. This has also stirred up a lot of controversy for bringing back the tragic memories of the victims for political purposes and person gains. While the public isn’t against memorializing the attacks, they do see billboards like these as blatant insults to everyone affected on that day.^[6]

4Calvin Klein

Much like American Apparel, the clothing line Calvin Klein is no stranger to using overly sexualized and risqué billboards to promote their brand. With most of their billboards being filled with sexual messages and innuendos, the three pictured above definitely take the cake for the most controversial. The first billboard in Manhattan depicts a model in a bra and underwear with her hands out in front of her and the letters “ck” off to the right of her hip. While at first glance this may not seem more controversial than any of their other ads, but some report the F-word is subliminally hidden in the picture. Using the table in the background as the F, her curved underwear as the U, and the CK on her side, it’s easy to see how this can be mistaken as a possibly intentional insertion.

Calvin Klein denies that any sort of message was intentionally placed in the ad, yet as more people begin to see it, the more controversial the billboard becomes. The next picture is controversial not only for being sexualized, but also for the amount of skin shown on the male model’s butt. The billboard takes the phrase “kiss my butt” to a new level, which has left many thinking that the ad goes a bit too far.

If Calvin Klein is a clothing line, why are the models wearing basically no clothing? Lastly, the third billboard depicts four scantily clad people lying around a couch with a woman laying on top of a man with his head on another man’s lap that is graphically kissing the girl and another lone ranger with his pants basically off doing his own thing on the floor. Some feel this ad has crossed the line between promiscuous advertising and borderline pornography. This SoHo “foursome”, as some have deemed it, has received a lot of criticism from citizens, though its quite unlikely this will be enough to deter Calvin Klein from continuing their sexually explicit advertising.^[7]

3 Bree Olson

Looking at these two billboards, it seems pretty obvious why many that see them find them to be quite controversial. Former porn star and Charlie Sheen’s ex-girlfriend, Bree Olson, posted the advertisements in an attempt to promote her new “dating” site, arrangementfinders.com. While many of these controversial billboards are completely legal under the First Amendment, this doesn’t stop them from making those who see them a little uncomfortable by their content. Recently, billboards boasting the phrases, “Need a summer job? Date a sugar daddy” and “Because the best job is a b**w job” have been popping all across America bringing a wave of criticism with them.

One posting of the “Because the best job is a b**w job” billboard, was quickly taken down in Chicago after it received many complaints of disgust from surrounding hotels and businesses. This has not seemed to deter Bree Olson as she continues to put up these billboards to promote her site that hooks up rich men with not-so-rich (or proud) women.^[8]

2 PETA Billboards

PETA is no stranger to marketing billboards that definitely think outside of the box when it comes to getting their point across for animal rights. However, some of their recent billboards are under fire for pushing their message a little too far. The first billboard was posted in New Jersey allegedly linking autism to the consumption of milk in a billboard designed striking similar to that of the “Got milk?” campaign. This was met with complete outrage in the autistic community for the outlandish claims that simply stopping the consumption of cow’s milk could fix the disorder. The studies PETA is referring to come out of the University of Rome, yet there was no actual conclusive evidence linking autism and milk consumption in any way. In spite of this, PETA still shamelessly continues their support of the link even providing three stories of success by people on their website. Their next billboard feature a picture of Tiger Woods standing next to the statement “too much sex can be a bad thing…..for little tigers too. Help keep your cats (and dogs) out of trouble. Always spay or neuter.”

Unlike the false claims made by the autism billboards, the premise of his billboard is factual, but some feel the manner in which it was presented was a bit too scandalous for their liking. As a run off of the Tiger Woods affair scandal, PETA jumped at the opportunity to not only exploit and bring attention to Woods’s actions, but support their cause in a very tongue-in-cheek manner. Woods didn’t approve the billboard, nor does he have any affiliation with PETA, only fueling the controversial fire.

While standing proud for just a short time in Jacksonville, PETA’s next billboard entitled “Save the whales. Lose the blubber: Go vegetarian” was raising eyebrows and turning the heads of many individuals. With obesity on the rise in America, PETA thought they’d take a whack at this issue by urging the overweight people to go vegetarian in order to lose the extra pounds. Many people in the community felt this was completely the wrong way to go about it. Citizens complained that the billboard was severely offensive to overweight people and women in the community as well. In response to the harsh backlash they received for the billboard, PETA quickly took it down only to replace it with a new and slightly less frank billboard boasting the phrase, “GONE: Just like all the pounds lost by people who go vegetarian.”^[9]

1 Black abortion

When you think of endangered species, what comes to mind? Black rhinos? Tigers? Polar Bears? How about black children? That’s right, I said it, black children. Or at least that’s the message that several abortion groups are trying to highlight in their various billboards depicting black children as an endangered species and stating that the womb is the most dangerous place for them to be. The groups have posted the controversial billboards in many places around the south to bring attention to the alarming rate of African American women that are having abortions. It’s quite obvious why these billboards can be taken as a bit controversial. Many feel the comparison of black children to animals like the Black Rhino is a bit over exaggerated to say the least.

Not only does the public feel the billboards are offensive, but even some anti-abortion groups as well. Many have stated they think the campaign is racist and that if the group is going to support anti-abortion laws, they should do it for all races and not just one. Despite the controversial statements, most of the billboards remain displayed.^[10]

About The Author: Shelby is an undergraduate at Arizona State University studying psychology and medicinal biochemistry. She is constantly fascinated by the mysteries of the world around her. She hopes to go on to medical school once she graduates to be able to search for and solve these mysteries.