Money isn’t dirty. In fact, coins and bills typically contain fewer bacteria than our own hands.

This follows from a recent study performed by food microbiologist Dr. Rijkelt Beumer of the Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He collected money from food markets and stores in Wageningen and looked for harmful bacteria. The dirtiest cash came from a cheese stand, but it was still a good deal cleaner than unwashed fruit and vegetables, and a good deal cleaner than most people’s hands. Does this mean money laundering will soon be a thing of the past?

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