Controlling the clouds.
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| Title: | Controlling the clouds. |
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| Authors: | Luhn, Alec (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | New Scientist. 5/16/2026, Vol. 270 Issue 3595, p34-37. 4p. 6 Color Photographs. |
| Subjects: | Weather control, Rain-making, Drought management, Geopolitics, Precipitation (Chemistry), Water shortages, Ecological impact |
| Abstract: | The article focuses on the increasing global use of cloud seeding, a weather modification technique aimed at inducing rainfall to address water scarcity amid growing droughts and shrinking freshwater reserves. Originating from discoveries in the 1940s involving silver iodide and dry ice to stimulate precipitation, cloud seeding programs now operate worldwide, including in the US, China, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, employing various methods such as aircraft dispersal and ground-based flares. While recent scientific experiments have confirmed that cloud seeding can produce precipitation, its effectiveness in significantly mitigating drought remains uncertain and highly variable depending on environmental conditions. The expansion of cloud seeding has also sparked geopolitical tensions and conspiracy theories, raising concerns about its broader social and environmental impacts. Experts caution that cloud seeding may offer limited relief and could distract from essential water conservation and climate action measures. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
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| Abstract: | The article focuses on the increasing global use of cloud seeding, a weather modification technique aimed at inducing rainfall to address water scarcity amid growing droughts and shrinking freshwater reserves. Originating from discoveries in the 1940s involving silver iodide and dry ice to stimulate precipitation, cloud seeding programs now operate worldwide, including in the US, China, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, employing various methods such as aircraft dispersal and ground-based flares. While recent scientific experiments have confirmed that cloud seeding can produce precipitation, its effectiveness in significantly mitigating drought remains uncertain and highly variable depending on environmental conditions. The expansion of cloud seeding has also sparked geopolitical tensions and conspiracy theories, raising concerns about its broader social and environmental impacts. Experts caution that cloud seeding may offer limited relief and could distract from essential water conservation and climate action measures. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 02624079 |
