It’s Alive? Surprising Discovery Changes What We Know About Fog
Researchers at Arizona State University discovered that fog droplets host active bacterial communities, including methylobacteria that grow and degrade pollutants like formaldehyde, challenging the view of fog as a chemically passive environment. Their study, published in *mBio*, found fog contains trillions of bacteria, with a thimble-sized sample holding around 10 million cells, comparable to oceanic concentrations.
Scientists at Arizona State University have uncovered that fog droplets act as microscopic habitats for living bacteria, actively growing and processing atmospheric pollutants. Previous assumptions treated fog as inert moisture, but the team’s research, published in *mBio*, reveals fog supports microbial ecosystems—with bacteria thriving inside droplets rather than merely drifting through them. The discovery began when PhD researcher Thi Thuong Thuong Cao questioned whether fog could sustain life. Collecting samples in foggy fields in Pennsylvania, her team found bacteria in fewer than 1% of droplets but in vast numbers overall. A thimble-sized amount of fog water contains about 10 million bacterial cells, matching oceanic concentrations, according to co-author Ferran Garcia-Pichel, director of ASU’s Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics. Methylobacteria were a key focus, as their abundance surged during fog events compared to dry conditions. These microbes consume formaldehyde, a toxic pollutant from vehicle emissions, industrial processes, and wildfires, which contributes to smog and respiratory risks. The study suggests fog droplets function as temporary reaction chambers, where bacteria help break down harmful compounds. The findings challenge long-held views of fog as chemically passive. Instead, it behaves like a transient aquatic ecosystem, with active biological processes occurring within billions of microscopic water droplets. This research expands understanding of atmospheric microbiology and its role in air quality. Garcia-Pichel emphasized the shift in perspective: if bacteria grow in fog, then droplets serve as habitats, not just transport mediums. The team’s work highlights the need for further study on fog’s microbial communities and their potential ecological and environmental impacts.
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