Spring Break
Snow may hold key to understanding global warming
Bacteria lurking inside snow flakes may be connected
Katy Weaver
Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: News
Although winter is almost over, students and staff might want to be wary the next time it snows. New research shows that many fluffy snowflakes have a hidden surprise inside them - bacteria.
Last Friday, the journal Science released a new report titled "The Ubiquity of Biological Ice Nucleators in Snowfall," discussing how bacteria play a pivotal role in the formation of ice crystals in clouds.
Atmospheric scientists have long known that under most conditions, rain and snow don't just form out of thin air - moisture needs something to cling to in order to condense.
To put it in perspective, think about ice cubes. If anyone has ever taken an ice tray out of the freezer before it has frozen they'd notice that there isn't a block of ice floating in the middle of the water - ice forms on the edge of the tray and freezes from the outside in.
The technical term for the particle that catalyzes the ice formation is an ice nucleator. Although scientists have been aware that ice nucleators exist, they are just beginning to learn more about where they come from.
The article in the journal Science stated that most ice nucleators found in snowfall from mid to high latitudes were biological in origin.
The most common of these was the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae which is known for causing disease in several different types of plants, such as tomatoes and beans.
This has led many people to wonder whether eating snow will cause bacterial infections.
Luckily for those who like to catch snowflakes on their tongues, the bacteria is unlikely to cause problems if consumed in small amounts by humans
"We eat stuff that's covered with bacteria all the time, and for the most part it's killed in the stomach," said Joel Forman, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on environmental health.
"Your stomach is a fantastic barrier against invasive bacteria because it's a very acidic environment."
This doesn't mean that there aren't exceptions in the cases of small children or in individuals who are consuming a large amount of snow, though. According to pediatricians, a small amount is okay - a meal is not.
Last Friday, the journal Science released a new report titled "The Ubiquity of Biological Ice Nucleators in Snowfall," discussing how bacteria play a pivotal role in the formation of ice crystals in clouds.
Atmospheric scientists have long known that under most conditions, rain and snow don't just form out of thin air - moisture needs something to cling to in order to condense.
To put it in perspective, think about ice cubes. If anyone has ever taken an ice tray out of the freezer before it has frozen they'd notice that there isn't a block of ice floating in the middle of the water - ice forms on the edge of the tray and freezes from the outside in.
The technical term for the particle that catalyzes the ice formation is an ice nucleator. Although scientists have been aware that ice nucleators exist, they are just beginning to learn more about where they come from.
The article in the journal Science stated that most ice nucleators found in snowfall from mid to high latitudes were biological in origin.
The most common of these was the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae which is known for causing disease in several different types of plants, such as tomatoes and beans.
This has led many people to wonder whether eating snow will cause bacterial infections.
Luckily for those who like to catch snowflakes on their tongues, the bacteria is unlikely to cause problems if consumed in small amounts by humans
"We eat stuff that's covered with bacteria all the time, and for the most part it's killed in the stomach," said Joel Forman, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on environmental health.
"Your stomach is a fantastic barrier against invasive bacteria because it's a very acidic environment."
This doesn't mean that there aren't exceptions in the cases of small children or in individuals who are consuming a large amount of snow, though. According to pediatricians, a small amount is okay - a meal is not.
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