For the NY Times I wrote about the history and chemistry of the wondrous substance we call

soap, how it defeats certain viruses and bacteria on the molecular level, and why it has advantages over sanitizer


At the molecular level, soap breaks things apart. At the level of society, it helps hold everything together.






NY Times article - Why Soap Works


It probably began with an accident thousands of years ago. According to one legend, rain washed the fat and ash from frequent animal sacrifices into a nearby river, where they formed a lather with a remarkable ability to clean skin and clothes. However it happened, the ancient discovery of soap altered human history. Although our ancestors could not have foreseen it, soap would ultimately become one of our most effective defenses against invisible pathogens.


People typically think of soap as gentle and soothing, but from the perspective of microorganisms, it is often extremely destructive. A drop of ordinary soap diluted in water is sufficient to rupture and kill many types of bacteria and viruses, including the new coronavirus that is currently circling the globe.