Where the smell of rain comes from?

It’s the bacteria in the order radioców (Actinomycetales) are responsible for the smell of rain. They produce a substance called geosmin. This compound gives off a distinctive aroma, whichóry we can smell right after the rain.

The bacteria reproduce in the ground. Their spores are lifted into the air by raindrops hitting the soil. This createsób a kind of aerosol cloud, która can be carried by the wind.

Scientists using superfast cameras and dye recorded the impact of raindrops on the soil. Such a droplet, on impact with the ground, ejects into the air some of the spores in itóin the early mentioned bacteria. Within seconds, an aerosol cloud is formed containing sizable amounts of bacteria and their germsów. Microorganisms can live in such conditions for up to an hour.

The aerosol cloud could be carried by the wind very far away. Researchers have found Actinomycetales bacteria even in clouds above our heads.

In the rain, you can smell not only geosmin, but also abortedótrong oils produced by plants. This smell will rótional depending on the flora dominating the area. The aromas released by the minerals in the soil also add to the fragrance total.

The phenomenon of aerosol cloud formation observed by researchers has somewhat alarmed scientistsów. This is because they believe that in the same wayób from the soil into the air may have been released intermittentlyósious pathogens. And since such a cloud can travel very far, it carries some danger. But more research is needed to pinpoint them exactly.

The results of the scientists‘ researchów were published in the journal „Nature Communications”.