The Amazon rainforest as a cloud machine: How thunderstorms and plant transpiration produce condensation nuclei

The rainforest in the Amazon basin transpires vast amounts of gaseous isoprene. Until now, it was assumed that this molecule is not transported far up into the atmosphere, as it rapidly declines when exposed to light conditions. The CAFE-Brazil measurement campaign provided data for two studies—now published as the Nature cover story—which demonstrate, however, that nocturnal thunderstorms transport the isoprene to an altitude of up to 15 kilometers.