# Is the government spraying stuff into the atmosphere to protect us? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 7, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886 "2011-10-07T13:32:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![waynemcdougall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@waynemcdougall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waynemcdougall)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/1 "2011-10-07T13:32:21Z")
Link to column: [Is the government spraying stuff into the atmosphere to protect us?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3017/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us) Mr C. Adams writes: > [@](#): > > This tells us that the notion of fooling with the atmosphere to control the climate goes back a long way — maybe not 500,000 years, but, judging from the publication date of Sitchin’s first book, at least to 1976. Now I know he is not claiming this the first book to mention the notion, and nor am I. But one I clearly remember from my childhood, published in 1973, is: [Dar Tellum: Stranger from a distant planet](http://www.amazon.com/Dar-Tellum-Stranger-Distant-Planet/dp/0802761402) which specifically had humans using rockets to disperse algae in the upper atmosphere, to consume carbon dioxide in an effort to combat global warming. The major plot point is connected to this specific goal: Dar Tellum warns, via telepathy, that the wrong type of algae has been chosen, and assists with telekinesis to change which container of algae will be sent on the rocket ---
**Author:** ![Jonascord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@Jonascord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonascord)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/2 "2011-10-07T14:45:17Z")
Oops ---
**Author:** ![Jonascord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@Jonascord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonascord)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/3 "2011-10-07T14:48:18Z")
Do the alloys involved in making a tinfoil bonnet matter? Foil actually made out of tin or an alloy is somewhat hard to come by, and if I am going to need a Cranial Faraday Cage for the CIA/Bilderburger/Illuminati/Vatican mind rays, I don’t want to be deceived by using regular aluminum. The other question: An actual Faraday cage is grounded, so shouldn’t I attach a bare copper tail to drag along the ground? I’m thinking about taking me and my new, improved cap out to the golf course during a thunderstorm to test it. Should I send you my wallet, in case the black helicopters grab me? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/4 "2011-10-07T14:51:57Z")
Judging by the fact that you’re repeating yourself alreday, I’d say it’s too late. Just report to the nearest Government Re-education Camp and they’ll take fine care of you. ---
**Author:** ![Hussman32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8baadc/32.png) [@Hussman32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hussman32)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/5 "2011-10-07T15:34:52Z")
I could see contrails providing nucleation sites for very cold supersaturated air to create clouds, but global warming? Guess 2,000,000 flights per months_5000 kg fuel per flight_12 months /12 g carbon/mole = (very roughly) 1e10 kg CO2 as carbon = 10,000,000 tons as carbon, which is 1/1000th of the worlds carbon consumption (coal, gas should dominate). Obviously rough numbers, but we’re a few orders of magnitude low. ---
**Author:** ![waynemcdougall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@waynemcdougall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waynemcdougall)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/6 "2011-10-07T16:15:54Z")
> [@Hussman32](#): > > I could see contrails providing nucleation sites for very cold supersaturated air to create clouds, but global warming? Read the article again. Contrails provide a [short-term] cooling effect - they reflect incoming solar energy away from the planet. Thus when planes were grounded, and contrails were not being produced, there was a rise in temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/7 "2011-10-07T16:26:22Z")
> [@waynemcdougall](#): > > Dar Tellum: Stranger from a distant planet “Dar Tellum.” Backwards, that’s “Rad Mullet.” Clearly this was a book ahead of its time. ---
**Author:** ![Hussman32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8baadc/32.png) [@Hussman32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hussman32)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/8 "2011-10-07T16:56:26Z")
> [@waynemcdougall](#): > > Read the article again. Contrails provide a [short-term] cooling effect - they reflect incoming solar energy away from the planet. Thus when planes were grounded, and contrails were not being produced, there was a rise in temperature. I should have noted that I read the article he referenced: " Cirrus cloud cover is thought to have increased significantly over the U.S. since 1971, possibly due to jet travel. Given the steady rise in air traffic, these clouds may lead to local and eventually global warming and other meteorological effects–not necessarily angel hair filaments and Jell-O-like goop, but perhaps a lot fewer sunny days." I still think we’re talking about very small changes in mass, and the impact can’t be much. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/9 "2011-10-07T17:34:10Z")
> [@Hussman32](#): > > I could see contrails providing nucleation sites for very cold supersaturated air to create clouds, but global warming? > [@Hussman32](#): > > I should have noted that I read the article he referenced: > > " Cirrus cloud cover is thought to have increased significantly over the U.S. since 1971, possibly due to jet travel. Given the steady rise in air traffic, these clouds may lead to local and eventually global warming and other meteorological effects–not necessarily angel hair filaments and Jell-O-like goop, but perhaps a lot fewer sunny days." I see that. I’m having trouble seeing how increased cloud cover leads to global warming. The same amount of sunlight is being received from the sun. It is either penetrating the cloud cover and getting to the surface, or it is not penetrating the cloud cover and either absorbed by the clouds or reflected by the clouds. At most, you would be shifting the heat from the surface to the cloud layer. Alternately, increased cloud cover is more reflective, and less heat is getting absorbed by the Earth system. I was amused by this: > [@](#): > > 1. Other scientists, [as reported in this column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2703/we-know-about-global-warming-but-what-about-global-dimming), have proposed artificial volcanoes that would spew sulfur compounds into the air, blocking sunlight and leading to global cooling, as occurred following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991. Researchers in the UK are about to test a system that one day could use hoses hoisted by balloons to spray particulates into the stratosphere to mimic volcanic cooling. Scientists, you don’t need to create “artificial volcanoes” or balloons to hoist hoses to get more particulate in the air. Just remove the smokestack scrubbers and other environmental protection technologies that were invented to clean up the air. Coal plant smokestacks will do a great job of creating particulate. Cecil even mentioned “the Asian Brown Cloud” in one of those columns. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/10 "2011-10-07T18:26:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Scientists, you don’t need to create “artificial volcanoes” or balloons to hoist hoses to get more particulate in the air. Just remove the smokestack scrubbers and other environmental protection technologies that were invented to clean up the air. Coal plant smokestacks will do a great job of creating particulate. Cecil even mentioned “the Asian Brown Cloud” in one of those columns. I’m guessing the issue is with the [height at which they’re being sprayed](http://intellectualventureslab.com/?p=474#more-474)… or the concentration. Apparently sulphur dioxide is linked to ozone depletion, but yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Phea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e274bd/32.png) [@Phea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phea)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/11 "2011-10-07T19:36:29Z")
Mr Adams, You do your readers a great disservice by making a valid, appropriate suggestion, but failing to follow through with the proper guidance. I hope I can be of some small assistance to the teeming masses with the following link: > **[Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie](https://zapatopi.net/afdb/)** > > Information about psychotronic mind control blockage using an Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie ---
**Author:** ![Rickymouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/34f0e0/32.png) [@Rickymouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rickymouse)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/12 "2011-10-07T19:43:31Z")
Protection from what? Solar storms? Mankind has been altering weather for thousands of years, that’s nothing new and seems to be a little too much the norm in todays world. It seems like every country is trying to control the weather at the expense of other countries economies and welfare. That can’t be what this article is about because that’s well known by many. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/13 "2011-10-07T20:33:12Z")
Yet Cecil, you left one the one significant natural contributor of climate change … [termite farts](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/832/do-cow-and-termite-flatulence-threaten-the-earths-atmosphere). Perhaps aliens need our gold to protect them from their own termites? ---
**Author:** ![waynemcdougall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@waynemcdougall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waynemcdougall)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/14 "2011-10-08T01:08:07Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I see that. I’m having trouble seeing how increased cloud cover leads to global warming. The same amount of sunlight is being received from the sun. It is either penetrating the cloud cover and getting to the surface, or it is not penetrating the cloud cover and either absorbed by the clouds or reflected by the clouds. At most, you would be shifting the heat from the surface to the cloud layer. Alternately, increased cloud cover is more reflective, and less heat is getting absorbed by the Earth system. You are correct that increased cloud cover from contrails lead to reflection and a short-term cooling effect (as measured empirically in the days following 9/11). [Current research](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/30/134987408/researchers-contrails-worse-for-environment-than-airplane-emissions) suggests the net long term effect is that the contrail clouds being at high altitude act as an insulator (think: blanket), keeping the earth warmer than it otherwise would be. The same amount of sunlight is being received by the Earth. Less of it escapes back into space. The Earth warms. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/15 "2011-10-08T06:08:57Z")
> [@Rickymouse](#): > > Protection from what? Solar storms? Mankind has been altering weather for thousands of years, that’s nothing new and seems to be a little too much the norm in todays world. It seems like every country is trying to control the weather at the expense of other countries economies and welfare. That can’t be what this article is about because that’s well known by many. We’ve been altering weather for **thousands** of years? ---
**Author:** ![waynemcdougall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@waynemcdougall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waynemcdougall)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/16 "2011-10-08T07:27:49Z")
> [@naita](#): > > We’ve been altering weather for **thousands** of years? Quite probably. [Agriculture and chopping down the forests is probably sufficient.](http://www.economist.com/node/2299998) ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/17 "2011-10-08T18:00:30Z")
> [@Phea](#): > > Mr Adams, > > You do your readers a great disservice by making a valid, appropriate suggestion, but failing to follow through with the proper guidance. I hope I can be of some small assistance to the teeming masses with the following link: > > [Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie](http://zapatopi.net/afdb/) I honestly can’t tell if this is real or a joke. Well done! ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/18 "2011-10-08T19:00:58Z")
Why do the aliens always need gold? They never need Technetium or Yttrium or Molybdenum, always gold. ---
**Author:** ![waynemcdougall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@waynemcdougall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waynemcdougall)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/19 "2011-10-09T00:48:24Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Why do the aliens always need gold? They never need Technetium or Yttrium or Molybdenum, always gold. Not always. Latinum is pressed into bars of [useless gold dust](http://www.startrekmovie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3978) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886/20 "2011-10-09T03:31:28Z")
> [@Rickymouse](#): > > Protection from what? Solar storms? Mankind has been altering weather for thousands of years, that’s nothing new and seems to be a little too much the norm in todays world. Cite? For just once in your posting history? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-government-spraying-stuff-into-the-atmosphere-to-protect-us/598886.md?page=2)