There’s a jungle of ‘untapped biodiversity’ in the bathroom

In a study led by Northwestern University, microbiologists have made a startling discovery: showerheads and toothbrushes are brimming with an incredibly diverse array of viruses, many of which have never been encountered before. While this may sound alarming, the silver lining is that these viruses do not threaten humans; instead, they target bacteria. The microorganisms identified in the study are known as bacteriophages, or “phages,” a type of virus that infects and multiplies within bacteria.