There’s a certain logic in thinking that the air in a hospital is filthy, teeming with viruses, bacteria, and whatnot. The same goes for the airplanes. You’re hermetically sealed in a tube with dozens of other strangers, all breathing in the same recycled air. There’s bound to be some nastiness floating in the breathable molecules… right?

That isn’t so, according to a new study published in the journal Microbiome. Northwestern University Environmental microbiologist Erica Hartmann and her team collected facemasks worn by travelers and healthcare workers. They also snagged a few that were unworn for comparison, to give scientists a better idea of what gross stuff, and how much of it, makes its way to our faces.

“We realized that we could use face masks as a cheap, easy air-sampling device

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