Dust storms spread deadly diseases worldwide | World news | The Observer

Dust storms spread deadly diseases worldwide | World news | The Observer: "Dust storms spread deadly diseases worldwide

Dust storms like the one that plagued Sydney are blowing bacteria to all corners of the globe, with viruses that will attack the human body. Yet these scourges can also help mitigate climate change

* John Vidal
* The Observer, Sunday 27 September 2009
* Article history

A dust storm blankets Sydney's iconic Opera House at sunrise

A dust storm blankets Sydney's iconic Opera House at sunrise. Photograph: Tim Wimborne/Reuters

Huge dust storms, like the ones that blanketed Sydney twice last week, hit Queensland yesterday and turned the air red across much of eastern Australia, are spreading lethal epidemics around the world. However, they can also absorb climate change emissions, say researchers studying the little understood but growing phenomenon."