As I sit and watch the snow fall, I find this article very intriguing. It’s pretty common knowledge that clouds need seeding, the results of which tend to be either rain or snow, or something in between. I’m used to thinking of the seeding material, or aerosols, as being very small bits of dust, non-biological dust. But, apparently, bacteria contribute to the aerosol composition, as well as fungi and algae. In fact, it seems that the presence of bacteria tends to cause water to freeze out at a higher temperature, and scientists think this is part of a strategy that the bacteria use to attack their hosts. In one case, bacteria can cause water on plants to freeze at a higher temperature, causing the plants to suffer tissue damage, making it easier for the bacteria to feed.

This is a preview of Bacteria Keep Falling on My Head. Read the full post (141 words, estimated 34 secs reading time)
Tags: airborne bacteria, algae, bacteria, biology, cloud seeding, clouds, freezing, fungi, meteorology, temperature, water

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