Page 44 - The Microworld Miracle

selves among the clouds. The atmosphere contains a great many
minute spores hoping to spread or seek protection. These spores
that remain in the dry cold air live in a state of literal suspended an-
imation, and descend to earth again with the rain produced by
clouds. On their return, they may establish new colonies. Clouds
are actually full of tiny, living microorganisms. As they crystallize
and rise up with evaporation from the ground, they carry with

them nutritional compounds such as methane, phosphate, carbon,
and sulfur dioxide. 21
Recent research has revealed another fact that has amazed sci-
entists. One group of scientists researching in the Austrian Alps dis-
covered colonies of bacteria living in the clouds. It was already
known that bacteria were borne by clouds, but this new study also
revealed that these colonies lived and bred in them. These same sci-

entists also noted that these bacteria could cause rain or other cli-
matic changes. It has also been reported that algae-like microorgan-
isms that lived in the seas long ago played a regulatory role in keep-
ing the climate stable by producing a gas called dimethyl sulphide
(DMS). This gas enters into a reaction with oxygen at sea level and
forms minute, solid particles. This sulfate layer concentrates water

THE MICROWORLD MIRACLE

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