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Snow full of bacteria

The next time it's snowing and you open your mouth to catch snowflakes on your tongue, think about this: Scientists say they're full of bacteria. That's right. Bacteria are everywhere in the atmosphere, and a large number of them can even cause diseases in plants, according to scientists at Louisiana State University.

When snow and rain form in the sky, the moisture needs something to grab onto in order to condense. The scientists found that this something is bacteria. The group of scientists examined precipitation from various locations including France, Montana, and the Yukon. The bacteria were … Read more

Climate change and the origins of farming in Mexico

We're not going to be the first generation of humans to cope with severe climate change. We may simply be the first to know just what's happening.

An international research team traced the growth of farming in Mexico's Iguala Valley. Their new report charts the rise of agriculture as the climate became warmer and wetter. Farming began after the last Ice Age. New lakes formed. Corn and squash were being regularly farmed 8,000 years ago. Then farming spread. Agricultural burning was used. Sixty-three hundred years ago domestic crops were plentiful. Forest clearing increased.

Then, around 1,… Read more