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Chinese Government Ramps Up Weather Control Efforts

Posted by Soulskill on from the can't-stand-the-weather dept.

formaggio writes "China's government is intervening with nature by rolling out four regional programs to artificially increase precipitation across the country by 10 percent before 2015. The program is anticipated to bring in an additional 230 billion cubic meters of precipitation per year by 2015. This is on top of the 50 billion cubic meters of precipitation China already artificially creates annually in the northeastern province of Jilin."

6 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. soory by masternerdguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sorry commies, but only the Allies can have the weather control device. Go play with your nuke and iron curtain.

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    1. Re:soory by mrozone · · Score: 5, Funny

      You seem to forget that they captured our construction yard a while back.

  2. Evaporation by LoudMusic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Are they also creating an evaporation effect in the region that supplies air moisture to the region they're trying to create precipitation in?

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    1. Re:Evaporation by v1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      They are stealing our water!

      That's what I was wondering, where would this water normally be falling mostly? Russia? Japan? Pacific Ocean? If it was just headed for the ocean anyway, it doesn't appear to be selfish of them.

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    2. Re:Evaporation by Fluffeh · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Nope, just makign clouds that are already there precipitate. They are stealing our water!

      Actually, there are a number of countries that are actually saying exactly that - "You are stealing our rain and it isn't a joke.

      An interesting thing though, is that the Chinese mainly use Silver Iodide Rockets to seed the clouds. Silver Iodide is considered a hazardous substance, a priority pollutant, and a toxic pollutant by the US. Exposure can result in the following:

      Chronic ingestion of iodides may produce “iodism”, which may be manifested by skin rash, running nose, headache, irritation of the mucous membranes, weakness, anemia, loss of weight and general depression. Chronic inhalation, ingestion or skin contact with silver compounds may cause argyria characterized by blue-gray discoloration of the eyes, skin and mucous membranes.

      Will be interesting to see what happens during the next ten to fifteen years after this has been in place for long enough to really get into the soil, the food chain and the poor saps who this rain falls on.

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  3. When the rain falls here, it doesn't fall there by CityZen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I see international problems brewing with this...

    I hear that in some localities, the rain water (that falls on your property) doesn't belong to you, and you're not legally allowed to have rain barrels.

    Weather alteration will amplify issues like that, such that countries have to make treaties regarding who can claim which clouds.

    Of course, you have to wonder about a range of possibilities: You can make your neighbor have a drought, or potentially have a flood.