Why We Get the Flu in the Winter

This was something I always wondered. Why do people get sick when it's cold? The usual consensus always had to do with the time people spend cramped up indoors among other people, facilitating the passing of germs.

But that's not really totally satisfying, and it seems that the reason why is because there's more to it than that. According to an article at abc.net the flu virus is covered in a fatty substance that actually hardens in the cold. Instead of killing the virus, the hardened coating actually protects the virus from the elements, allowing it to survive longer outside while it waits for a biological host.

What's most interesting to me about this discovery is that before I read the article, I figured someone out there completely understood the subject--even if I didn't. So what I mean is, I noticed here that sometimes there can be a hole in the scientific explanation of how something works that the average person might not even realize is there.

Here's another example. Scientists recently discovered that bacteria in the atmosphere play a significant role in the creation of ice and snow. Bacteria are sent up into the atmosphere by wind, and they wind up becoming the most active "substrate" for gathering ice crystals and water droplets until they form a unit big enough to fall to the ground in the form of rain. Dust and soot can serve the same purpose, but bacteria form a much larger percentage of the substrate than we thought, and can accomplish it at warmer temperatures.

And just like that, there's a biological component to the water cycle. The finding could be extremely useful, too, as it will add another potential tactic for cloud-seeding during a drought.

Either way, I'm still surprised. I just never knew the water cycle was something we didn't fully understand.