Environment in the News

There was an article in the New York Times called "From Trees and Grass, Bacteria That Cause Snow and Rain" written by Jim Robbins. It is about a bacteria that has been found on plants, clouds, streams and in snow as well as several other places. It is called Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. The bacteria is thought to cause freezing at higher temperatures than normal. It does this to create water and ice that will damage plants so the bacteria can get nutrients. Scientists say that it is well known that the bateria helps to cause snow to form but a closer look is being taken at the role of the bacteria in precipitation. The ending conclusion is that it is difficult to pinpoint the effect of the bacterium. It could have less or more of an effect than scientists currently think.

I think this article is so interesting. I did not know that bacteria can create snow and maybe precipitation. One question that came to my mind is that if some plants have more of this bacteria on them would they aid in causing more rain? Could these plants be planted in places with drought problems? That way when the wind swept the bacteria up into the air and into the clouds maybe that area would see more rain. This is a good example of how everything in our environment relies on so many other things. Could it be possible that this bacteria is the key to rain? Would we have rain without this bacteria? We probably would, but maybe not so much of it. It is amazing how everything in our environment is connected and if one thing changes then thousands of things change that no one even notices.

Pictures and article taken from: Robbins, Jim. (2010, May 24). From Trees and grass, bacteria that cause snow and rain. New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/science/25snow.html?ref=science