Discovery: Airborne Fungi, Bacteria, and Viruses

A research team consisting of climate, health, and atmospheric experts from Spain and Japan has made a notable discovery of live fungi, bacteria, and viruses present in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. Their research, detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved collecting air samples from altitudes between 1,000 and 3,000 meters.

Previous research has demonstrated that dust can travel across continents, with particles from Africa reaching both North and South America. This dust often carries microbes that can also cover long distances.

In this latest study, the scientists aimed to investigate how high these microbes can be found and whether they can endure such long journeys. To achieve this, they chartered a small aircraft to collect air samples from the atmosphere over parts of Japan, focusing on regions close to the planetary boundary. They also collected weather data from these areas to understand the conditions affecting their findings.

Back in their laboratory, the team performed DNA analysis on the collected microbes to identify their species. Their findings revealed a diverse range of fungi, bacteria, and viruses, some of which could pose health risks to humans.

Remarkably, the researchers found that many of these microbes were still viable, as evidenced by their ability to grow in laboratory cultures. The team identified 266 types of fungi and 305 types of bacteria from their samples.

They noted that many of these microbes are commonly found in soil or plant matter. Based on their geographical location, the altitude at which they were discovered, and the distances traveled, the researchers hypothesize that the majority of these microbes originated in China, meaning they had traveled over 2,000 kilometers.

The study highlights that bio-pathogens can cover great distances at high altitudes, which could have significant implications for the spread of diseases. This finding underscores the potential for airborne microbes to impact human health across vast regions.