[Other recent Eos articles are here and here]
The High Life: Transport of Microbes in the AtmosphereBy David J. Smith, Dale W. Griffin & Daniel A. Jaffe
Microbes (bacteria, fungi, algae, and viruses) are the most successful types of life on Earth because of their ability to adapt to new environments, reproduce quickly, and disperse globally. Dispersal occurs through a number of vectors, such as migrating ani- mals or the hydrological cycle, but trans- port by wind may be the most common way microbes spread.
General awareness of airborne microbes predates the science of microbiology. Peo- ple took advantage of wild airborne yeasts to cultivate lighter, more desirable bread as far back as ancient Egypt by simply leaving a mixture of grain and liquids near an open window. In 1862, Louis Pasteur’s quest to dis- prove spontaneous generation resulted in the discovery that microbes were actually single-celled, living creatures, prevalent in the environment and easily killed with heat (pasteurization). His rudimentary experi- ments determined that any nutrient medium left open to the air would eventually teem with microbial life because of free-floating, colonizing cells. The same can happen in a kitchen: Opportunistic fungal and bacterial cells cause food items exposed to the air to eventually spoil.
Unknowingly, Pasteur founded the field today referred to as aerobiology, the science that studies the diversity, influence, and survival of airborne microorganisms. Sci- entists now have the ability to monitor the movement of atmospheric microorganisms on a global scale. But long-term molecular- based measurements of microbe concen- trations are still missing—such information is needed to improve understanding of microbial ecology, the spread of disease, weather patterns, and atmospheric circulation models.
