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Computer filth exposed Wednesday, 13 September, 2000, 09:14 GMT 10:14 UK - The shocking secrets of the life of grime beneath your fingers have been revealed. Computer keyboards are accumulating up to two grams of dirt every month, research conducted on behalf of AOL UK shows. The crumbs and dirt collect beneath the keys because users eat breakfast, snacks, and lunch over their computer terminals. The personal grooming that people undertake while at their desk also contributes to the build-up of grunge. AOL collected the dust, dirt and organic debris accumulating beneath the keys of a keyboard in a typical London office for a month. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keyboard crumb breakdown Corn Flakes (15%) Boiled sweet (15%) Noodles (7%) Vegetable piece (4%) Leaf (1%) Pencil shavings (1%) Staple (1%) Finger nail (<1%) Tape/plastic (<1%) Insect (<1%) Foil (<1%) Hair (<1%) Various particles resembling cereal grains, biscuit crumbs, bread crumbs, pastry flakes and chocolate crumbs (56%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The accumulated rubbish, which weighed in at a hefty 1.89 grams, was then sent for study at Reading Scientific Services, an independent food and drink analysis centre. The majority of the debris, 56%, was made up of food crumbs from the chocolate bars and biscuits that people like to snack on when using their computer. Much of the rest was also food-related, but also in the dirt were dead insects as well as fingernail parings, small patches of dead skin and the odd hair. If the keyboard studied is typical, AOL UK estimates that almost 0.318 tonnes of what it calls "keyboard krumbs" will accumulate beneath all keyboards over the space of a year. A spokeswoman for Reading Scientific Services said the company operated a strict confidentiality policy and could not comment on the research, or whether the accumulating grime constituted a health hazard. To keep keyboards spruce, office cleaning firms recommend that people regularly hold their keyboard upside down and shake them vigorously to dislodge the debris. Alternatively, users can remove the keys, and vacuum, blow or shake off the dirt beneath. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related to this story: Computers as clothes (04 May 00 | Sci/Tech) E-mail: Our right to write? (03 May 00 | UK) What's my line, again? (18 Apr 00 | UK) Do we work too hard? (10 Feb 00 | Talking Point) Technology boost for key skills (14 Jan 00 | Bett2000) Domino's e-pizza orders top £1m (20 Jul 00 | Business) Cold pizza passes the taste test (27 Mar 00 | Scotland) Britain's most irritating ads (05 Jan 00 | Entertainment) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet links: Reading Scientific Services AOL UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC News Online: Sci/Tech By BBC News Online internet reporter Mark Ward http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/sci/tech/newsid_921000/921923.stm janet paterson 53 now / 44 dx cd / 43 onset cd / 41 dx pd / 37 onset pd tel: 613 256 8340 url: "http://www.geocities.com/janet313/" email: [log in to unmask] smail: POBox 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada