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Skyborne specks of life may influence rainfall patterns

A buildup of small particles of bacteria, pollen and spores may lead to rainier weather

mist rises from a forest

Bacteria, pollen, spores and other biological particles released by ecosystems may have a profound influence on rainfall patterns.

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By Nikk Ogasa

Sprinklings of life appear key to the recipe for rain.

Lofted flecks of organic material like bacteria, pollen and fungal spores play a profound role in regulating rainfall patterns, a new study suggests. These bioparticles can make up a major portion of all the particles that can seed rain in the sky, and their levels fluctuate in a daily cycle, researchers report May 5 in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science.