Growing up I admired most scientists, but I was always most fascinated by the atmosphere. That is why I loved watching Dave Schwartz and Bob Hope on The Weather Channel. Not only did I respect their scientific knowledge, but they were tlaking about the thing I really loved – the weather.
As I got older I ended up answering a lot of questions from people about weather-controlling devices. As a high school’er, I thought it was science fiction that may be science fact – eventually. But as I worked my way through college, I quickly learned that the idea that we – humans – could control the weather is, well, laughable.
I’d bet that we will be able to breath on the moon before we can control the weather.
Math and Physics taught me that the atmosphere is quite vast. The idea that an individual, localized event could have an impact – desired or not – on weather is truly unrealistic. I’ve heard all of the stories, too.
My favorite, for the record, is negatively-ionized water shot out of a cannon at ground level to induced cloud formation.
I would argue that 99.999-percent of the attempts are lost causes. Mother Nature is in control, and will always be in control. Resistance to that train of thought – to quote the Borg – is futile.
But, because this is America. We always give things the ole college try.
This is an entertaining, albeit semi-inaccurate, look back by NBC at our attempt to control the weather. Which was, and continues to be, unsuccessful quite futile.
