We were at altitude 2674m on a mountain ridge when we noticed that the pole with indication signs for the trails was vibrating. The same was with the digital camera and the hiking poles. We understood that there was electricity in the air. However, the happening was strange because though the sky was covered, it was snowing, and not heavily. Besides, there were no lightnings, but we could hear from time to time thunders. I was wondering if there was any chance of being struck and also, if possessing metal objects might increase the chances.

Likewise why is the air hazy and clouds melt into one another as well as appear more diffuse?

Hello Last Word,

When I opened my curtains this morning and looked out over a flat part of roof, I noticed that last night's rainwater had turned a bright red colour. (see attached image)

The colour isn't caused by algae, since the water is relatively fresh, and it doesn't appear to be blood either, since there aren't any dead animals on the roof.

Long story short, does anyone have any clue as to what could have caused the bright red colour?

The soil was a fertilised mix of regular soil and potting mix. One morning after a heavy rainfall, we noticed very many globules of a clear jelly-like substance. This jelly was found nowhere else in the garden. It had a uniform consistance and each globule was no bigger than a regular marble. We thought it may have been some sort of micro-organism, so we tried to incubate it by putting one globule in a cup of egg yolk, this yealded no noticable growth.

The picture attached shows 3 globules of the jelly after being rinsed (still with traces of dirt). The consistancy is such that it is clinging to the page of the book.

Thanks,

Manu Francois + Reuben Herz-Edinger

On looking at windows and car windscreens when it rains, I have noticed that raindrops tend to follow the previous paths of other drips when falling down the glass surface. Why is this?

Some decades ago I was travelling around Australia and was lucky enough to climb Uluru. Pools on top of the rock had been produced by recent rain and, curiously, in many of them strange aquatic invertebrates were present (see photo).

This specimen is sitting in my camera lens cap, which has a diameter of 62 millimetres. It looks like an ancient trilobite. Why and how was it on top of the famous, massive rock, and what is it? What happens to the creatures when the short-lived puddles dry up?

Gavin Chester, Dwellingup, Western Australia