An article in the Independent suggests clouds may be public transportation for viruses and bacteria.
Makes sense to me. I’ve often wondered the same thing.
There is, they say, growing evidence that bacteria, fungal spores and viruses may spend large amounts of time – even their entire lives – in the air, riding clouds across the planet. And they don’t just inhabit the clouds – they may also be creating them. Certainly, many of the clouds’ newly discovered inhabitants are exquisitely designed to create the maximum number of ice crystals, the basic building-blocks of clouds. Some Darwinian biologists even argue that the bugs may have evolved for that very job.
Well, it stands to reason, if amino acids can survive on a comet why not bacteria in a cloud?
Definitely interesting.
Dr Shinn has a Q&A at PBS.com, and a few links there, too.
Also, here’s an ABCNews story on Dr. Shinn’s research.