The Atlantic

The Mysterious Microbes in the Sky

Scientists are just beginning to understand how microscopic organisms that rise out of the ocean can help manage global temperatures.
Source: Peter J. Fox / Getty

It’s well known that the human gut is a thriving bacterial ecosystem—not to mention the skin, lungs, and various other parts of the body. But the breadth and depth of microbes’ participation in many systems on the planet are still not widely understood. For instance, there is evidence that there are microbes in the clouds, hitching thousand-mile rides through

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