During stormy weather, the chemtrail conspiracy theory receives its time in the limelight
The unsubstantiated theory is being propagated by right-wing figures on the internet, some with substantial followings, who have a history of disseminating unfounded allegations about the previous presidential election. These individuals, in an extraordinary claim, suggest that certain hurricanes were intentionally directed towards communities that supported former President Donald Trump, aiming to manipulate the upcoming election's outcome in favor of his opponents.
As rumors concerning Milton and Helene persisted, curiosity in chemtrails also surged on Google searches and social media platforms. Chemtrial conspiracy theorists erroneously believe that condensation trails produced by aircrafts under specific conditions, popularly known as contrails, actually contain harmful chemicals dispersed by authorities to manipulate weather patterns or control people's minds.
According to experts in the field, these contrails occur when water vapor condenses and solidifies around an aircraft’s exhaust. Despite a lack of compelling evidence, this chemtrail conspiracy theory has endured for many years. Such persistent misconceptions have led the experts to become targets of harassment and accusations that they are somehow involved in this supposed clandestine plot.
A leading weather research lab at Harvard University, having received numerous impolite and threatening messages due to the chemtrail myth, published a fact sheet on their website to disprove the theory. The website post declares, “We have not found any convincing evidence that chemtrails exist. If we did discover any evidence that governments were endangering their citizens in the manner claimed in the chemtrail conspiracy, we would actively work to expose and stop any such activities.”
This theory's longevity can largely be attributed to a small, dedicated group of pseudoscientists who have dedicated their lives to promoting and attempting to validate this misconception. Although their sphere of influence is usually limited to fringe websites and online forums, this myth occasionally nails a place in the mainstream.
“We are going to stop this fraud,” Trump advocate and former presidential nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted in response to a video promoting the theory in August.
In April, Tennessee legislators enacted a law banning the discharge of airborne chemicals that opponents described as “preposterous” and incited by this falsehood.
The chemtrail theory's recent virality observed on the internet in the past couple of weeks is unprecedented and has sparked alarm within the climate and weather community, who accuse social media platforms of enabling its rapid dissemination.
“This has existed for many years, but with varying forms,” Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California Los Angeles, stated. “However, what I find different this time is the intensity and the breadth of it. Previously, this type of misinformation was restricted to niche online forums or obscure comment sections. Now, it has gained immense popularity on multiple social media platforms, attracting tens of millions, if not more, of viewers.”
Adopted by vote deniers
Individuals who have long championed unjustified ideas related to weather manipulation have discovered a haven on right-wing podcasts and digital programs in the recent past.
“Treason Alert: The Biden-Harris Administration Manipulated Hurricanes Helene and Milton Using Pentagon Weather Weapons,” read a provocative headline on InfoWars earlier this week, the platform managed by disgraced conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Alex Jones, celebrating the spread of the conspiracy theory on his online show earlier this week, said, “I have noticed an exponential growth of interest in this idea over the past few years, and its popularity has never been higher than it is now. I've witnessed discussions on this topic all over the place, from streets, families, to social media platforms, and beyond.”
Some of this conspiracy theory advocacy has taken a markedly antisemitic tone. Stew Peters, following an audience of 700,000 on X, claimed on his digital program that Jewish people were responsible for non-existent technology that manipulates hurricanes. He then showed graphic images of Jewish individuals in government positions and an illustration of an octopus expanding its tentacles, drawing inspiration from Nazi-era antisemitic propaganda.
Stew Peters, along with other conspiracy theorists from the past, also promoted the wild and unfounded claims about the 2020 election, suggesting that ballots were air transported from Asia in a plot to allegedly rig the election in favor of President Trump. This conspiracy theory morphed and influenced the Cyber Ninjas, investigating potential traces of bamboo in ballot paper during their questionable audit of the 2020 election in Arizona.
Republican politician and election denier Marjorie Taylor Greene has garnered widespread mockery for promoting the notion that fatal wildfires in California in 2018 were fueled by space lasers, perhaps even controlled by the Rothschild investment bank. The Rothschilds frequently appear as scapegoats in antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Greene has shared several social media posts in recent days, advocating that authorities are manipulating the weather, including leaning on her previous absurd claims about lasers. She even shared a 2013 video in which a physicist discussed potential laser experiments aimed at altering weather patterns, explaining how extant research has many limitations and that scientists must continue to explore these concepts further.
According to weather and climate specialists who addressed CNN, the skeptics overlook the restraints. Taking cloud seeding as an example, this technology dispenses minute particles in the atmosphere, aiming to produce clouds and augment rainfall in intensely arid locations. However, it's not reliable and can be unpredictable, as mentioned by Katja Friedrich, a professor of atmospheric and oceanic science at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Friedrich raised concerns that the notion of climate manipulation being responsible for the damage brought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton is merely a diversion from the actual impact of climate change.
Moreover, Joshua Horton, a researcher focusing on solar geoengineering policies at Harvard University, pointed out that while these theories have long been prevalent, the recent escalation, as Horton referred to it, is responsible for their popularization. This phenomena is transpiring just a few weeks prior to a significant presidential election.
“In a way, I dread to say it, but it's like a perfect storm,” Horton stated, “it's the political landscape, the rise of conspiracy theorizing, real-world events, it appears they're all colliding in this particular moment.”
Despite the lack of evidence, the chemtrail conspiracy theory continues to persist among some individuals, leading them to question the weather patterns they observe. Some conspiracy theorists have even accused authorities of intentionally directing hurricanes towards certain communities, with the alleged goal of influencing election outcomes.
The ongoing chemtrail conspiracy theories have been adopted by some individuals who also deny election results, such as Republican politician Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has suggested that fatal wildfires in California were fueled by space lasers or manipulated weather.
