system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: The 5-second rule. If I drop something on the floor how fast does it take for germs to latch on?
gpt
Germs will latch on as soon as it hits the floor. The 5-second rule is nothing more than a rationalization to convince yourself that its safe to eat, but it doesn't have any scientific support. Your digestive and immune systems will still be able to fend off the majority of the germs, thus why people don't always become ill after eating something that has touched the ground (regardless if it has been 5 seconds or not), but the germs are nevertheless there.