Snowflakes may contain bacteria!

BACTERIA IN SNOWFLAKES!

Those beautiful snowflakes drifting out of the sky may have a surprise inside - bacteria.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/02/28/snow.bugs.ap/index.htm reports and I quote,"scientists say that snowflakes may contain bacteria." Most snow and rain forms in chilly conditions high in the sky and scientists know that under certain conditions, the moisture needs something to cling to in order to condense. Now, a new study shows that a large amount of the nucleators are bacteria which can affect plants. Brent C. Christner says and I quote,"Bacteria are by far the most active ice nuclei in nature." Brent and his colleagues sampled snow from Antarctica, France, Montana and the Yukon. In some of the samples, 85% of the nuclei were bacteria. The most common bacteria found was Pseudomonas syringae, which can affect plants such as tomatoees and beans.The group found this type of bacteria in 20 of their samples. In the past, the focus on Pseudomonas was to try and eliminate it, but it turns out to be a major factor in snow and rain (fact- Pseudomonas is effective at getting moisture in a cloud to condense). Christner says that insects, microbes and algae blow around in the atmosphere and I quote,"but the atmosphere has not been recognized as a place where things are active." At warm temperatures of just a few degrees below freezing, bacteria is remarkably effective at attracting ice formation." It's one of those great bacteria....you can find them anywhere.", said Virginia K. Walker, a biologist. I think that this discovery was very intriguing. I never imagined that bacteria is the cause of why we have snow and rain. I think this discovery can be useful because the killed bacteria are even used as an additive in snow making at ski resorts. I learned a good fact.....and lesson. That lesson is "Don't open your mouth to eat snowflakes."