Climate Change Insights from Military Air Samples Reveal DNA Tracking

Scientists at Lund University in Sweden have discovered evidence of climate change by analyzing decades-old air samples collected by the Swedish Armed Forces. According to a report from Science Daily, these samples, collected as part of monitoring efforts for radioactive fallout, contained preserved DNA from various biological particles, including moss spores.

The research reveals that moss spores are now released approximately four weeks earlier than they were in 1990, with the peak spore dispersal occurring about six weeks sooner. Researchers focused on 16 different moss species and found that warmer autumns have been a key driver for this shift, providing mosses with more time to develop their spore capsules before winter.

Surprisingly, the climate conditions from the previous year, rather than the current year's weather, were found to be the most influential on spore timing. The study introduces a new method for tracking long-term ecological changes, which can be applied to other species that release biological material into the air.

The findings are expected to contribute to the next report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the documented effects of climate change, highlighting the importance of historical data in understanding ecological shifts.