Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Conducting Miller-Urey Experiments
Published on: January 21, 2014
Functions and possible provenance of primordial proteins--Part II: microorganism aggregation in clouds triggered by
Andrei P Sommer1, N Chandra Wickramasinghe
1Central Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany. samoan@gmx.net
Abstract:
Current models predict that the elevation of the Earth's surface temperature due to global warming is accompanied by a warming of the troposphere, and a thickening cloud cover associated with longer-lasting clouds, in particular over land. These effects can have an instant impact on the vitality level of microorganisms in clouds and the spreading of airborne diseases. Microorganisms could originate from locations on the Earth, or even arrive from space. Primordial proteins in nanobacteria, only recently identified in the atmosphere, could play a significant role in clouds--accelerating the formation of cloud droplets and interconnecting nanobacteria (and possibly nanobacteria and other microorganisms), thus enhancing their chances to eventually reach the Earth.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Folding
Conditions on Early Earth
Conditions on Early Earth
Protein Folding
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Diversity of Archaea III
Origin of Cellular Life

