Don’t get me wrong, I love winter. I love the puffy, white snow. I love the refreshing, cold air. Even the long, dark nights make for more time around the table with family.
But the smell of spring rain is something to look forward to. We’re pretty sure that it will come. Not this week or next, but sometime. While we’re waiting for it, we’re thinking about why the air smells different when it rains. You probably knew it was because of the soil, but here’s how it happens, shown in 90 seconds, all thanks to the folks at MIT and some researchers in Australia.
Why do we care? This research could help explain how diseases, including E. coli, spread through the environment.
Interesting effect. I wonder how this translates to a vegetated landscape where raindrops are almost all hitting leaves and stems at various angles.