Latest news with #InsureandGo
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
This commonly used item is 58 times dirtier than a public toilet seat — beware the next time you go to use it
That's gross. It's hard to believe that there is something dirtier than a public toilet bowl — but there is, and it's something that travelers use several times a year. The wheels of a suitcase are a breeding ground for bacteria, carrying nearly 58 times more than the place where people publicly relieve themselves, according to a study conducted by insurance company Insure and Go. Advertisement Your luggage is carrying around a gross amount of bacteria KaysArt – Insure and Go partnered with microbiologist Amy-May Pointer to swab the wheels and the base of both hard and soft-shell suitcases at an airport train station. Their findings revealed that several different types of bacteria live on the majority of travelers' suitcases — Staphylococcus species, which is a common skin bacterium, Serratia marcescens, usually found in bathrooms and Aspergillus species, which are described by the research team as 'black fuzzy molds.' Advertisement 'The microbial communities found on the suitcases included skin bacteria, environmental moulds, and some faecal-associated germs amongst others,' said Pointer, according to Insure and Go. Most of these organisms are not highly dangerous in everyday settings, but they form a film of general filth. This explains that grimy feel or musty odour luggage can get after multiple trips.' Now, knowing this, think of all the places that your suitcase, which has been carrying around all this gross bacteria, has touched. Gross. Advertisement 'The key point is that microbes were very diverse, reflecting all the places the luggage had been. It reinforces the recommendation to keep luggage away from clean surfaces like beds and to deep clean it occasionally,' the expert advised. To clean a soft or hard-shell piece of luggage, the Wire Cutter team recommends wiping it down with either an alcohol wipe or mixing dish soap with water and using a rag to wipe it clean. It's recommended to wipe down your luggage after every use. triocean – To clean the dirty wheels, first get rid of any hair or carpet fibers stuck using scissors before wiping them down with an all-purpose cleaner. Advertisement It's recommended to clean your suitcase after every trip and 'If you want to go the extra mile, consider using a washable suitcase cover, or even slip shower caps over the wheels when bringing it inside,' Pointer suggested. 'It might sound silly, but covering those wheels can stop them from spreading bacteria across your carpet or bedding. You could be protecting your sheets from the kind of microbes that include skin-irritating bacteria like Staphylococcus species.' Suitcases aren't the only commonly used bacteria-filled things. $100 bills have Staphylococcus bacteria, smartphones can carry a variety of bacteria and public toilet seats can contain E. coli growth, according to researcher Amani Abdlrasul, who works as a medical laboratory scientist in Tampa, Florida.
The National
4 days ago
- The National
The Scottish museum named one of the world's best
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh was named alongside other popular international spots like the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Canada, which was crowned the best. To create the ranking, the researchers trawled through 200,000 visitor reviews to find the world's top-rated. Discussing the Scottish spot, which was ranked number seven in the world, InsureandGo said: "The museum displays Dolly the sheep, which is the first mammal ever cloned from an adult cell, and visitors can even enjoy panoramic views of Edinburgh from its rooftop terrace. "The Victorian building is over 150 years old and offers dinosaur-themed workshops for schools, as well as a dinosaur trail. "While there are fewer dinosaurs on offer here than some of the others in the global top 25, it earns its spot for its wide-ranging exhibits, from furniture to planes, to dinosaurs and fashion." The National Museum of Scotland named one of the best in the world for its dinosaur exhibits The museum in Scotland has received a lot of praise on Tripadvisor where users gave it 4.7/5 out of 22,590 reviews. One person dubbed it a "great place" to visit and commended its ability to keep their child occupied. They wrote: "Great place to visit, and it is completely free to go. "We spent hours in here, and our four-year-old loved it. Especially the interactive part in the science area and the explorer section, where the little ones can look for dino bones." One person who enjoyed the Scottish location warned others planning a visit to prepare for hours of walking. They added: "Free and full of history, the National Museum of Scotland features a diverse number of displays (dino skeletons, Tibetan prayer wheels, medieval tapestries, and more). Recommended Reading: "Wear comfortable shoes and plan to stay at least half a day to get acquainted with the layout. I went from opening until lunch the first day, and again the next day, and still did not see it all!" A third person penned: "There was everything from dinosaurs to traditional Mexican clothing to red telephone boxes and even a Lego display. Lovely little gift shop." Another simply added: "So huge, so much to do, full of beautiful exhibits."
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Jurassic snafu ranks Otago 'dinosaur' second best in world
In a (pre)historic moment for Tūhura Otago Museum, its dinosaur exhibit has been ranked the second-best in the world. But it appears there is a "slight twist" to the accolade. The ranking comes from a study which analysed more than 200,000 TripAdvisor reviews of museums around the world, by travel insurance company InsureandGo. It found Tūhura Otago Museum had a 96.5% approval rating from visitors on TripAdvisor, because it was home to New Zealand's largest fossil — the Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur. The exhibit came in just behind the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and now both museums are getting a lot of global media attention from the rankings. Tūhura marketing manager Charlie Buchan said staff at the museum were "thrilled" with the global attention, but there was a problem. "There's a slight twist to this story. "The incredible creature that everyone was raving about on TripAdvisor is not actually a dinosaur." Mr Buchan said the plesiosaur was actually a marine reptile that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs, but was not officially classified as a dinosaur. "My mum always told me, 'don't let the facts get in the way of a good story'. "But working for a museum, we kind of have to," he said. "So, technically, I guess we're disqualified." Despite the jurassic snafu, Mr Buchan said the museum would still gladly take the international media coverage. "As I always say, any press is good press." The Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur fossil, named Kaiwhekea katiki, was discovered in 1983 by amateur palaeontologist Gary Raper, and is one of the most complete fossil finds in the country. It is 6.5m long, making it a mid-sized plesiosaur, which likely preyed on soft-bodied sea creatures such as squid and fish, using its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Plesiosaurs were four-flippered reptiles with long necks and large forward-facing eyes, and were well-adapted to hunting in deep, low-light ocean environments. Mr Buchan said the fossil had been dated to about 74 million years, and was an extraordinary example of marine life from the Cretaceous period. So, while not technically a dinosaur, the plesiosaur continued to impress and inspire visitors from around the world, he said.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Exhibit's second-best ranking technically incorrect
In a (pre)historic moment for Tūhura Otago Museum, its dinosaur exhibit has been ranked the second-best in the world. But it appears there is a "slight twist" to the accolade. The ranking comes from a study which analysed more than 200,000 TripAdvisor reviews of museums around the world, by travel insurance company InsureandGo. It found Tūhura Otago Museum had a 96.5% approval rating from visitors on TripAdvisor, because it was home to New Zealand's largest fossil — the Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur. The exhibit came in just behind the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and now both museums are getting a lot of global media attention from the rankings. Tūhura marketing manager Charlie Buchan said staff at the museum were "thrilled" with the global attention, but there was a problem. "There's a slight twist to this story. "The incredible creature that everyone was raving about on TripAdvisor is not actually a dinosaur." Mr Buchan said the plesiosaur was actually a marine reptile that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs, but was not officially classified as a dinosaur. "My mum always told me, 'don't let the facts get in the way of a good story'. "But working for a museum, we kind of have to," he said. "So, technically, I guess we're disqualified." Despite the jurassic snafu, Mr Buchan said the museum would still gladly take the international media coverage. "As I always say, any press is good press." The Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur fossil, named Kaiwhekea katiki, was discovered in 1983 by amateur palaeontologist Gary Raper, and is one of the most complete fossil finds in the country. It is 6.5m long, making it a mid-sized plesiosaur, which likely preyed on soft-bodied sea creatures such as squid and fish, using its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Plesiosaurs were four-flippered reptiles with long necks and large forward-facing eyes, and were well-adapted to hunting in deep, low-light ocean environments. Mr Buchan said the fossil had been dated to about 74 million years, and was an extraordinary example of marine life from the Cretaceous period. So, while not technically a dinosaur, the plesiosaur continued to impress and inspire visitors from around the world, he said.
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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- Health
- Travel + Leisure
Your Suitcase Is 58 Times Dirtier Than a Public Toilet Seat, Study Finds—and Here's the Dirtiest Spot
Suitcases are one of the dirtiest travel items, and the wheels are the worst offender. The study swabbed both hard- and soft-shell suitcases. Harmful bacteria including Staphylococcus, Serratia, and Bacillus were found on luggage. We've all become a little more germ-conscious since the pandemic with hand sanitizer still lurking in pockets and bags across our closets. And while you may think you're being diligent by washing your hands frequently and perhaps even masking up during your travels, there is one place you really should be paying closer attention to: your luggage. The oft-used item is a shudderingly gross source of harmful bacteria with the wheels specifically home to nearly 58 times more bacteria than a public toilet seat, according to a recent study from InsureandGo that was shared with Travel + Leisure. To conduct its study, the company swab tested 10 different suitcases (a mix of soft- and hard-shell) at a London airport train station in partnership with microbiologist Amy-May Pointer to determine just how gnarly our luggage can get. Pointer also took swabs from control surfaces, including a public toilet seat and a flush button to compare. 'Suitcases, especially their wheels and bottoms, are germ magnets that can out-germ even a toilet," Pointer said in a statement shared with T+L. "Yet, with basic hygiene steps, you can prevent these traveling microbes from joining you in bed or on the dinner table.' Pointer was able to identify a range of bacteria grown from the swabs taken on the luggage, including Staphylococcus, which the study explained are common on human skin but could "get into cuts, can cause boils or impetigo (a highly contagious skin infection), and some strains (like S. aureus) even trigger food poisoning." She also spotted Serratia, which is usually harmless, but could "opportunistically cause urinary or wound infections in hospital settings," along with Bacillus, a bacterium well-known to cause foodborne illness. As for the wheels themselves, each swab found hundreds of bacterial and fungal colonies, making it critical that you never, ever put your suitcase on a hotel bed again. The next dirtiest spot was the base of the bag (where the Bacillus spores were found). Pointer warned soft-shell cases can harbor extra fungal growth compared to hard-shell luggage since fabric absorbs moisture more readily than plastic. Last up was the suitcase handle, which Pointer said was the likeliest spot for Staphylococcus. But Pointer doesn't want you to live in fear. Instead, she offered some helpful advice on how to avoid these germs, including storing your bags on a luggage rack, avoiding rolling your luggage into toilet stalls or through puddles when possible, washing your hands after touching your bags, and giving your suitcase a good wipe when you get home. 'The less gunk your wheels pick up, the less you'll have to worry about later," Pointer said, adding travelers should 'Treat your hands as if you just touched those surfaces, because indirectly, you did.' See the full findings and more sage advice from Pointer at
