Bufflehead Cabin

Scientists and germophobes alike have long known that human skin—from head to toe—is literally crawling with bacteria and microbes. And a new study, published today in Science shows that skin is host to many, many more of the tiny organisms than previously thought. …
“The skin is…an ecosystem, harboring microbial communities that live in a range of physiologically and topographically distinct niches,” the study authors write. “For example, hairy, moist underarms lie a short distance from smooth, dry forearms, but these two niches are as ecologically dissimilar as rainforests are to deserts.”

Can you guess the location with the most types of bacteria? No, it’s not the “rainforest” or below the belt. Try the forearm, which boasts an average of 44 different species.