17 votes

Topic deleted by author

7 comments

  1. skybrian
    Link
    The Scientific American article they link to at the end is pretty interesting. Cloud seeding has been around for a long time and apparently the hard part is proving that it works. A demonstration...

    The Scientific American article they link to at the end is pretty interesting. Cloud seeding has been around for a long time and apparently the hard part is proving that it works. A demonstration or a video of a downpour is definitely not enough to do that, because you don’t know whether it would have rained anyway.

    9 votes
  2. [6]
    drannex
    Link
    I love that we are finally harnessing the power of the weather to do our bidding, this is exciting.

    I love that we are finally harnessing the power of the weather to do our bidding, this is exciting.

    7 votes
    1. [2]
      Kuromantis
      Link Parent
      I agree. I honestly think this should be tagged terraforming because that's pretty much what it is. The main concern is how someone could use this for evil. One could go overboard and cause...

      I agree. I honestly think this should be tagged terraforming because that's pretty much what it is. The main concern is how someone could use this for evil. One could go overboard and cause floods, perhaps something like that could be done intentionally?

      6 votes
      1. p4t44
        Link Parent
        It already has been, attempted at least, 50 years ago in Vietnam

        perhaps something like that could be done intentionally?

        It already has been, attempted at least, 50 years ago in Vietnam

        2 votes
    2. BartHarleyJarvis
      Link Parent
      Hopefully some rich goober weirdo can build the train that goes around the world before we suffer the consequences of playing God. All kidding aside, it is amazing to see that this exists. Just a...

      Hopefully some rich goober weirdo can build the train that goes around the world before we suffer the consequences of playing God. All kidding aside, it is amazing to see that this exists. Just a few years ago I read about the Chinese government creating rain near Tibet and thought it was a hoax. I can only imagine what might come of this in the distant future. Knowing humans, we'll probably turn it into a weapon.

      5 votes
    3. [3]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [2]
        MimicSquid
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        The effect is lowering the humidity of the air, yeah? Whether this is an unintended side effect or not depends on how you feel about the people downwind of you that are now living in a dryer...

        The effect is lowering the humidity of the air, yeah? Whether this is an unintended side effect or not depends on how you feel about the people downwind of you that are now living in a dryer climate and how they feel about you.

        Edit: On the other hand, given that wet bulb temperature is the really concerning part of increasing temperatures for human survival, being able to lower the air humidity through forced rain may be as valuable an implementation of this technology in wet areas as making it rain is for dry areas.

        7 votes
        1. [2]
          Comment deleted by author
          Link Parent
          1. MimicSquid
            Link Parent
            Speaking of hurricanes, there's some plans not yet implemented to have networks of ocean-based wind turbines specifically to pull some of the energy out of the storms. Combining that energy source...

            Speaking of hurricanes, there's some plans not yet implemented to have networks of ocean-based wind turbines specifically to pull some of the energy out of the storms. Combining that energy source with other storm-calming measures could be very interesting.

            2 votes