Amid the tragedy of recent flash floods in central Texas, conspiracy theories about “cloud seeding” practices have gained traction on social media, fueled by prominent U.S. political figures.
What Happened: The devastating floods have been linked by some to cloud seeding operations conducted by Rainmaker, a weather modification start-up backed by U.S. software billionaire Peter Thiel. These claims, suggesting that the floods were triggered by these operations conducted on July 2, have been widely circulated on social media, with one post viewed by over 2.6 million people, reported DW News.
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and former National Security Advisor General Mike Flynn are among the political figures lending credibility to these theories. Greene has even announced plans to introduce a bill to Congress to end weather modification practices.
However, Rainmaker CEO Augustus Doricko has firmly denied these allegations, stating that their activities had no connection to the floods. Experts in the field, including ICL’s Edward Gryspeerdt and award-winning chief meteorologist Travis Herzog, have also debunked these theories, explaining that cloud seeding can only enhance existing rainfall, not create storms of this magnitude.
Matthew Cappucci, senior meteorologist at MyRadar, stated, “In dry environments, adding cloud condensation nuclei can help clouds drop subtly more rain…You don’t spontaneously make 4 trillion gallons of water appear in Texas.”
Despite the widespread dissemination of these conspiracy theories, scientific consensus supports Doricko’s claim that the cloud seeding operations conducted two days before the floods could not have been responsible for the disaster.
SEE ALSO: Get Ready For 800 Hours Of Blackouts, Trump’s DOE Warns
Why It Matters: The Texas floods, one of the deadliest flooding events in the state’s history, were triggered by a storm that dumped nearly a foot of rain in the region, causing extensive devastation and loss of life. The Guadalupe River in Kerr County, known for its historic summer camps, was among the areas most severely affected.
The latest death toll has crossed 100, including 30 children, with nearly 180 people missing, reported Reuters on Wednesday.
Prominent U.S. leaders, including Apple Inc. AAPL CEO Tim Cook, former President Barack Obama and officials from both parties, reacted with grief and solidarity to the catastrophic floods. Cook expressed his heartbreak over the devastating loss caused by the flooding in Texas.
Meanwhile, climate protesters stormed the NYC Apple Store, confronting CEO Tim Cook amid the Texas flood crisis.
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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