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Upset-Ad4844 t1_it4yp4j wrote

Reply to comment by badatmetroid in Why does alcohol kill bacteria, but not the cells that our bodies are composed of? by Chairman_Mittens

You're right! Not very practical for wiping down surfaces. Tough lil' bastards.

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regular_modern_girl t1_it7d4dy wrote

I forget exactly which bacteria this includes, but I know there are some referred to as “hypolipotrophs” that are known for being able to survive on even microscopically-thin films of lipids on otherwise sterile metallic surfaces, and to survive many forms or sterilization and even some degree of autoclaving in this way. It’s estimated that many can actually survive even on the surfaces of otherwise sterile surgical tools (thankfully, none are known to be pathogenic).

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