Tiny Matters [BONUS] Algae in the clouds and colossal galaxy walls: Tiny Show and Tell Us #9
Oct 23, 2024
Join science communicator Alex Danis as he unravels the surprising connection between algae and cloud formation. Discover how the tiny algae species Emiliania huxleyi can affect our skies by seeding clouds with their shells. The conversation also ventures into the immense galaxy walls, like the South Pole and Sloan Great Walls, stretching 1.5 billion light-years across the universe. Alex invites listeners to share their own science stories for a chance to be featured and win a special prize!
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Clouds Need Particles To Form
- Clouds form when rising air cools to saturation and water condenses onto particles called cloud condensation nuclei.
- These nuclei are ~1 micron and include dust, sea spray, and smoke, not just pure water.
Shells From Dying Algae Seed Clouds
- Emiliania huxleyi is a single-celled algae covered in calcium carbonate plates called cocoliths.
- When a virus kills many cells, cocoliths stay at the surface and can become sea-spray cloud nuclei.
Algal Blooms Influence Atmospheric Particles
- Large algal blooms and their decay release biological particles and bacteria that can enter the air via sea spray.
- These biological aerosols can act as cloud condensation nuclei and alter cloud formation at scale.