The rubber ducks that children commonly play with at bath time have been determined to be a health hazard as they accumulate an inner layer of bacteria and other pathogens.
The general advice has been to boil or dispose of these ducks and replace them with new ones, but this is a wasted opportunity. If there was a "new for old duck exchange" scheme put in place then the returning ducks could be examined, and their contents used to generate a constantly updating google type bacteria map of an entire country.
"I'm off to Cornwall for a week - the Paratuberculosis count was quite low there in 75% of all bath tubs in June"-- xenzag, Apr 02 2018 Ducks of Hazard https://www.science...ens-bacteria-fungus [xenzag, Apr 02 2018] Microwave Sterilization http://www.dallasma...nfecting-your-home/As mentioned in an annotation. [Vernon, Apr 02 2018] Global Pandemic Alerts Global_20Pandemic_20AlertsIn the same general ballpark as this idea although obviously a far superior application of science. [DrBob, Apr 02 2018] Providing the rubber duck is microwave-safe, it can be sterilized using that method in about 1 minute, maybe 2.-- Vernon, Apr 02 2018 Cats can be sterilized in exactly the same way, [Vern], although it takes hours rather than minutes.-- 8th of 7, Apr 02 2018 So can you, with a large enough microwave and me laughing as I peer in through the protective glass panel, whilst operating the control panel and recording on film for a large eagerly waiting audience.-- xenzag, Apr 02 2018 We are amused that you think that a few kilowatts of undirected microwave energy can have any effect on us, given that we have highly efficient adaptive shielding.-- 8th of 7, Apr 02 2018 Static electricity though, now that’s gotta mess with borg something fierce.-- RayfordSteele, Apr 02 2018 Replace the Quackin!-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Apr 02 2018 random, halfbakery