Teddy Wilson, an aviation and conspiracy theory expert, discusses the anti-chemtrails laws in Tennessee and other states inspired by fringe conspiracy theorists. The podcast explores the origins and prevalence of chemtrails conspiracy theories, debunking claims and highlighting the role of journalists. It also delves into the debate between chemtrails and contrails, dissecting conspiracy theories and online discourse surrounding the topic.
Tennessee's anti-chemtrails law reflects legislative interest in conspiracy theories influencing policy decisions.
State legislators push bills inspired by fringe conspiracy theories like chemtrails, linking them to imagined threats.
Contrails, formed from jet engine exhaust, depend on atmospheric conditions, debunking chemtrail conspiracy theories.
Deep dives
Origins of the Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory
The origins of the chemtrails conspiracy theory can be traced back to a 1996 US Air Force report speculating on weather modification for war advantage. Journalist William Thomas popularized chemtrails, claiming high flying planes sprayed harmful compounds for various purposes. However, evidence shows that aircraft contrails are normal water vapor condensation. Despite being dismissed by experts, a small percentage of Americans believe in chemtrails to control the population.
Legislation and Lobbyists Shaping Anti-Chemtrail Bills
State legislatures have been influenced by chemtrails conspiracy theorists, such as Jolie Diane behind the Zero Geoengineering network. Proposed laws banning chemtrail-like activities echo conspiracy language like cloud seeding and weather modification. Lobbyists push lawmakers to adopt these fringe ideas, intertwining chemtrails with other conspiracy theories like 5G health risks, GMO foods, and vaccine safety concerns.
Implications of Anti-Chemtrail Bills and Legislation
Anti-chemtrail bills, like the one in Tennessee, are supported by legislators with ties to fringe conspiracy theorists, despite lacking real evidence or threats. The legislation focuses on banning intentional chemical dispersion in the atmosphere, mimicking language from chemtrail conspiracies. The bills reflect how lawmakers are influenced by unverified claims, leading to potentially unenforceable laws targeting imagined threats over genuine environmental and health concerns.
Understanding Contrails and Their Formation
Contrails, the white lines left in the sky by high-flying jets, are primarily ice crystals formed from water vapor in jet engine exhaust mixing with low-temperature ambient air at high altitudes. The condensation and freezing process occurs due to the disparity in vapor pressure and temperature between the exhaust gas and the atmosphere. These ice crystals then provide condensation sites for water vapor, exhaust particles, and metal particles in the jet's wake. While all jet engines produce exhaust, contrails only form under specific conditions of high humidity or low temperatures in the surrounding atmosphere.
The Impact of Environmental Conditions on Contrail Formation
The presence and persistence of contrails depend on the prevailing environmental conditions, such as atmospheric humidity and temperature, along the aircraft's flight path. If the humidity is low or the temperature is high, contrails evaporate quickly. However, high humidity or low temperatures lead to persistent contrails that may grow and spread. Furthermore, the disrupted airflow caused by wings generating lift can create vortices that reduce pressure and temperature, causing water vapor to condense into ice crystals, contributing to contrail formation.
Though the “chemtrails” conspiracy theory has long been dismissed by scientists, aviation experts, and other skeptics, the Tennessee legislature has taken it very seriously. On April 11th, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law SB2691, which bans the ‘intentional injection, release, or dispersion’ of chemicals within Tennessee ‘with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight.” Though the law doesn’t explicitly use the word chemtrails, it was inspired by chemtrail conspiracy theorists.
On this episode we talk to independent journalist Teddy Wilson of Radical Reports about the anti-chemtrails bills in Tennessee and other state legislatures.
Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to ongoing series like Manclan, Trickle Down, Perverts and The Spectral Voyager: https://www.patreon.com/QAA
Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by NAP (https://doomchakratapes.bandcamp.com) & Jake Rockatansky. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (http://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com)
http://qaapodcast.com
QAA was formerly known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.
REFERENCES
Radical Reports: Why Are GOP State Lawmakers Introducing Bills Based on Claims by Fringe Conspiracy Theorists?
https://www.radicalreports.org/p/why-are-gop-state-lawmakers-introducing
Some Dare Call It Conspiracy: Chemtrails On Trial
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/chemtrails-on-trial-part-1-8--58112535
To what extent do you believe in the conspiracy theory that the government is using chemicals to control the population (chemtrails)?
https://www.statista.com/statistics/959559/conspiracy-belief-government-control-population-chemtrails/
MIT Technology Review Solar geoengineering could start soon if it starts small
https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/05/1087587/solar-geoengineering-could-start-soon-if-it-starts-small/
Aircraft clouds: From chemtrail pseudoscience to the science of contrails
Mètode Science Studies Journal, vol. 8, pp. 181-187, 2018
Universitat de València
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5117/511766757028/html/
Terrell, Steven. Santa Fe New Mexican. Assignment led journalist/activist into "chemtrail" obsession, 1999
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-santa-fe-new-mexican-chemtrails-1999/133314562/
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