Benevolent Bacteria: The Bacteria That Rain Clouds Need

Bacteria are often regarded as harmful microorganisms, but they are crucial for many biological and environmental functions.

An impressive example of their usefulness and influence on our climate is the role of 'Pseudomonas syringae' bacteria in rain cloud formation.

This bacterium has a unique way to make a living: it stimulates frost and rain.

The bacterial cells have proteins on their surface that bind water molecules, making them freezable at higher temperatures than normal, around -2 °C.

When they are carried up into the atmosphere, these frozen droplets encourage the formation of ice particles which cause clouds and subsequent rainfalls to occur.

So, every time you feel the refreshing touch of rainfall, remember: a tiny bacterium may have helped make that very drop.

Research on 'Pseudomonas syringae' provides us with a fascinating insight into the complex connections between the microbiological world and our global weather systems..