In August 2008, shortly before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, the Beijing sky was thick with smog. To the Communist Party bigwigs, this was an unacceptable backdrop for China’s big debut on the international stage. So, the Beijing Weather Modification Office was called in to clear the air. More in this series: The Diplomatic Deadlock The Adaptation Advantage Pole Position The Ocean Edge Climate Consensus With planes and modified anti-aircraft guns, technicians fired canisters of silver iodide into the clouds, releasing ice-like crystals. The water vapor condensed, and it rained all around the city. By the time the foreign visitors arrived, the Beijing skies had turned to a picture-perfect blue. Human beings have long dreamed of controlling the weather. In the 1840s, James Pollard Espy, the U.S. federal government’s first meteorologist, proposed setting fire to the Appalachian mountains to stimulate rainfall. In the 1960s and 1970s,
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Your questions answered as FDA pushes to phase out certain food dyes
The FDA is pushing to phase out petroleum-based food dyes in foods sold in the US. Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers your questions about why Europe,…
Thought Leader: Sanjay Gupta
Dr. Leana Wen: Should you get the shingles vaccine? Answering reader questions.
In addition to protecting against shingles, the vaccine could decrease dementia risk. In light of the worsening measles outbreak, I’ve written several articles emphasizing the…
Thought Leader: Leana Wen
Peter Zeihan: Should the US Stay in the Middle East?
In his latest video recorded in New Zealand, Peter Zeihan, a renowned geopolitical strategist, tackles a key question that shapes U.S. foreign policy: Should the…
Thought Leader: Peter Zeihan
