© Pixabay/imagii
The Tennessee House of Representatives has just passed a new law prohibiting “the intentional injection, release or dispersion of chemicals in the air ». If under this title the article may seem full of common sense, the reality is, unfortunately, very different.
Because it is not so much the text itself that poses a problem. The latter never mentions the word “chemtrails”, yet everything allows us to understand that this is indeed what it is about. The defenders of this law, like the very controversial conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, want to put an end to “chemtrails” and “ solar geoengineering ”.
What are chemtrails ?
In both cases, it is only a question of fabrications. Chemtrails are white trails left by planes as they cross the sky. Studied by researchers for years, they no longer hold any secrets. This is a simple condensation of steam emitted by reactors under certain specific meteorological conditions.
But this scientific answer did not succeed in convincing everyone. Many conspiracy theories exist around chemtrails. For defenders of the latter, these white streaks would be proof of the dispersion of chemical agents in the atmosphere.
On , the popularizer “Astropierre” is concerned about the arrival of a conspiracy theory “so high in the legislative apparatus.” He specifies that this text “will remain scientifically unfounded and inapplicable.”
An ultra-popular conspiracy theory
It is this pseudodispersion that worries the Tennessee authorities. To the point that the House of Representatives has just passed a law to ban them. The legal text — which had already been approved by the state Senate — is now in the hands of the governor. If the latter ratifies it, the law will come into force on July 1.
Although this conspiracy theory may seem ridiculous (spoiler: it is) , many people take it seriously. And the phenomenon is not limited to the United States. In France, an IFOP study carried out in 2020 showed that 15% of French people also believed in this theory.
Chemtrails are one of the first subjects raised by conspiracy theorists, just like the myth of the flat earth or that of a secret and evil sovereign order. Among the defenders of this theory, we find several personalities, including the actor Chuck Norris, who has taken a position on the issue several times.
Why this law is worrying& nbsp;?
The arrival of this law in the United States is just one more demonstration of the naivety and lack of scientific knowledge of the great audience. However, we should not take this problem lightly or even believe ourselves to be “more intelligent” than conspiracy theorists.
The persuasion mechanisms and arguments used by the defenders of these theories are, over time, better and better constructed and many people adhere to them , very often without realizing it, leads to a conspiracy theory.
In addition to Tennessee, which was the first to take the plunge, other American states are considering passing such laws in the coming years. In Uncle Sam's country, 55% of citizens support at least one conspiracy theory. A figure which even rises to 68% among 18-24 year olds according to data provided by the IFOP.
Geoengineering: a divisive idea
As for the text of Tennessee's law, it attests to citizens' distrust of solar geoengineering. This technology, which only exists on paper, proposes to modify the climate on a large scale by using chemical agents spread in the atmosphere.
To date, a few rare demonstrations have had effects on meteorology, but no long-term use has had the slightest impact on the climate. However, it is the latter which must be altered according to scientists. In a report published in 2023, the White House does not close the door to human intervention in the fight against global warming.
One of the prototypes of “solar parasol” which could reduce the temperature on Earth by several degrees © Technion Israel & ARIS
The American Office of Science and Technology has explored the idea of sending huge mirrors into orbit to reflect a small quantity of the Sun's rays. According to several studies, cutting 3% of emissions would be enough to wipe out the effects of global warming on the thermostat.
The followers of this idea, which is very difficult to achieve, nevertheless point out that the reduction in temperature is only one of the many aspects of global warming. The presence of a reflector in space would not change air pollution or exceptional weather phenomena.
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