What is blood rain?

What is blood rain?

Blood rain may sound rather fictional and indeed, this phenomenon is shown is numerous films and has been an useful resource in literature.

However, it is real. Throughout history, this event has been clearly observed even with a scientific eye due to the lack of awareness regarding it.

Nevertheless, the magical part of it are the interpretations gathered to explain how and why it happens.

The hugely famous poet Homer mentioned in one his masterpieces: The Iliad, blood rain.

In this story, the greek god Zeus caused blood rain twice to warn about a slaughter caused during a human battle.

But, Homer was not the only ancient poet mentioning this, but it served as an inspiration for later compositors, poets and writers such as Hesiod, or Plutarch.

Moreover, blood rain in Germany was used as a prediction of the upcoming Black Death during the 14th century, as well as foreshadowing the power of God during the 16th century in the Renaissance.

Although we know this is a film-like effect, what causes it?

Although scientists have been working to solve this enigma since the 17th century, it is still rather controversial because there are different theories whose fundaments are either correct.

Nowadays, there is a scientific consensus about the likelihood of this theory we are going to take a look at.

For instance, this explanation involves Trentepohlia, which is a species of algae. 

This plant, as you can well see in the image above, has a bright orange colour that substitutes the chlorophyll in the landscapes it coexists.

It is located in trees and wet rocks all around the globe, but specially in Britain and Ireland due to climate factors.

This correlation consists of different spores going to the air, gathering around the clouds and then evaporating into gas.
Therefore, through rain it goes again to the ground, mixing with the drops of water.

This hypothesis is the most consensual in the scientific community,  and the most accepted among them.

The next one is called dust rain. As you can see in the picture above, the yellow colour represents mineral dust.

This element is formed as a result of a chemical reaction called suspension.

 Basically, suspension embodies solid particles that are big enough (more than a micrometer) to become sedimentary.
Furthermore, these particles do not dissolve into water, and they get suspended in a gas, specially water.

The clearest examples are desert dust. When a sandstorm arrives, some particles of desert dust from dunes get suspended into the air, and eventually will turn to blood rain.

Other theories that are not that popular are sunspots or aurorae. 
To explain it briefly, sunspots come to Earth once in eleven years, and they have an enormous magnetic charge. So, when they arrive to Earth they attract their temperature and can mix their components with water from the clouds.

In conclusion, blood rain seems to be logical and normal, but if we had to meet this phenomenum face-to-face, it would be scary indeed.

It even exists a theory that blood rain is formed by the evaporated blood of humans remaining from a battle!