Amid hurricanes, the chemtrail conspiracy theory has its moment in the sun
Decades-old and long-debunked myths about so-called chemtrails have become a central part of a wild conspiracy theory that falsely asserts the US government used non-existent weather manipulation technology to create the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The conspiracy theory is being promoted by right-wing influencers online, some with millions of followers, who have a long track record of echoing false claims about the last presidential election. The hurricanes, some of these influencers baselessly claim, were deliberately steered toward Trump-supporting communities – part of a plot to “steal” next month’s election from former President Donald Trump.
As myths about Milton and Helene spread, interest in chemtrails increased too on Google search and social media. Chemtrail conspiracy theorists falsely believe condensation trails (known as contrails) left behind by aircraft in the sky are full of toxic chemicals spread by the government to control the weather or control people’s minds.
In reality, scientists say contrails appear when water vapor condenses and freezes around the exhaust from an aircraft.
Despite the lack of evidence to support it, the so-called chemtrail conspiracy theory has endured for decades. Climate and семейный юрист онлайн weather scientists are all too familiar with the myth, and because of it are sometimes targeted and accused of being part of a nefarious government plot – much like the theories about Milton and Helene.
One weather lab at Harvard University received so many messages, some “abusive and threatening,” about chemtrails through the years it published a fact sheet on its website debunking the conspiracy theory.
“We have not seen any credible evidence that chemtrails exist. If we did see any evidence that governments were endangering their own citizens in the manner alleged in the chemtrails conspiracy, we would be eager to expose and stop any such activities,” the post on the lab’s website reads.