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by Tondoteottotote on February 25th, 2010

Tondoteottotote

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When we gain the capability to remove every last dust speck on Earth, will it not harm nature to do so, or does nature need dust particles?

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  • by Athrael on February 28th, 2010

    Athrael

    Precipitation (Rain, Snow, blah) requires dust grains for water to form around to form usually ice crystals that grow heavy enough to fall. For Rain these crystals metal into water droplets, for snow they remain frozen.

    Dust also acts to protect us from UV radiation, granted we have the Ozone layer that does the heavy lifting there, but Dust also contributes. Dust also provides us with secondary shielding of various light radiations, causing 'Global Dimming' which helps to regulate the climate. Ergo when a volcano goes off the climate can experience lower temperatures as less radiation from the sun reaches the surface of the earth.

    Life has adapted to dust, thus many bacteria, mold and other microorganisms drift with the dust. Not all are 'bad' many are much needed, such as yeast spores that we make bread from or the helpful bacteria that clean up the organic tissues left behind from dead bodies, fecal matter, etc. Many of these travel on dust particles, tiny hitch hikers that are protected from the environment by their speck of dust (Sounds a bit like Horton Hears a Who).

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