Reports from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare or major news outlets

Scientists Discover Pathogenic Microbes Traveling 2,000 km by Wind Over Japan

Sep 10, 2024, 12:09 PM

Scientists have discovered that pathogenic microbes can be blown vast distances by winds, potentially spreading diseases globally. Research flights over Japan detected bacteria and fungi surviving beyond Earth's planetary boundary layer, confirming long-distance transport of potential human pathogens. Microbial richness and air chemistry in aerosols above the PBL support this finding, with microbes traveling up to 2,000 km. The findings were based on 10 flights over Japan.