Sri Lankans have been intrigued after rain gods recently blessed them with coloured pourings.
Prof. Richard B. Hoover, an Astrobiologist of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has now volunteered to conduct experiments regarding the colored rains experienced in several parts of Sri Lanka recently.
Prof. Richard B. Hoover had informed Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe in writing of his willingness to conduct the experiments, Director General, Medical Research Institute (MRI) Dr. Anil Samaranayake told The Island newspaper.
Prompting researches to launch a formal investigation, some parts of the country witnessed spells of colored rains over the past weeks.
Red rain was reported from the Sevanagala area in Uva Province on November 14, from Moneragala and Manampitiya areas on November 15 and blue rain was seen at Saliyapura, Anuradhapura in North Central Province recently.
Samples of rain water had been collected by the MRI, according to Dr. Samaranayake from areas where the red rains were reported and samples of blue rain was expected for research at the institute shortly.
MRI had already conducted tests on samples of the Red, Yellow and Green colored waters, said Dr. Samaranayake and added that the institute had decided to conduct medical test on the Blue rain as well.
Scientists would not be able to say anything until the analysis was completed; Dr. Samaranayake expressed replying to a query.
Meanwhile, tests are being conducted by the Harvard and Buckinghamshire Universities in the US and England on samples of red and yellow rains and parts of meteorites that fell in several areas in the country.
Some other parts in the world had reported colored rains in the past including Kerala, India in 2001 and most recently in June, 2012.
The rain water turns red possibly due to spores of algae or similar organism, according to the reports released recently.
The presence of dust in the atmosphere which colors the rain water was the most likely reason, the experts said.
They said the yellow rain could be due to sand or the presence of pollen in the air which was the reason given for colored rain in Afghanistan a few years ago.
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