A record-breaking and relentless deluge that lasted days and flooded towns and cities along Queenslands south-east coast, submerging thousands of homes and leaving at least nine people dead. 'I have known for years they have been using this technology!' First published on April 8, 2022 / 6:52 AM. At the moment, all possible solutions that could resolve the water shortage issue should be examined carefully. That's it for this episode of Business Lab. There is no evidence to back up such theories, but this hasn't prevented falsehoods from reaching thousands of people online. Thanks for listening. The extra water produced from cloud seeding can sit in water storages for multiple years. Hydro Tasmania also denied that its flights were to blame and said in a statement that an analysis shows the operation had no measurable impact on rainfall on that day.. Conventional water resources such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater have become very limited, which is driving scientists and engineers to look for alternative water resources, says Dr. Linda Zou, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Khalifa University of Science and Technology. THE FACTS: In recent months, Australias southeastern coast has experienced some of its, in more than a decade, leading some social media users to highlight a previous instance of flooding and spread false theories about what caused, Twitter users are sharing a clip from a 2016 news broadcast about flooding in Tasmania to claim it proves that. They vary in size. Published: 00:57 EDT, 31 March 2022 | Updated: 00:57 EDT, 31 March 2022. Steven Siems, from Monash University's School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, is a cloud expert. However, Dr. Zou explains, The cloud-seeding materials used today have been around for many decades. THE FACTS: There's no evidence to suggest that cloud seeding played a role in either flood, and an atmospheric research expert told the AP that cloud seeding would . Cloud seeding: Making rain in desert. In their place, colder waters come up to the surface. Centrelink jobseeker overhauled with new 'point-based system' . upcoming events, and more. A dangerous and bizarre conspiracy theory is circulating that the devastating floods which have torn through Australia's . Thousands of residents were ordered to leave their homes. Hotter atmospheric conditions and oceans are driving much heavier rainfalls, scientists say. Cloud seeding adds small, ice-like particles to clouds. Why Is the Government Cloud Seeding in NSW's Over the Areas That Have Just Been Ravaged by Floods? A team of pilots is conducting an investigation by releasing the seeding materials and in real time capturing and analyzing them. Dr. Zou: Yes. We build our cities on rivers for a reason it was good for transport and waste disposal but that also means we built on flood plains, Khan says. Do you have a story for me? 4m ago. This is part of APs effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Showers and #thunderstorms will develop across eastern and central #Vic and parts of northern #Tas on Wednesday, continuing across the region until the weekend extending into eastern #SA and western Vic as well.Latest forecasts: https://t.co/EGP9Qynjs3 pic.twitter.com/4dZwkN8TKM. Share. This means cloud seeding operations happen only during suitable cold weather systems, generally cold fronts between May and October. One reason for the wetness is likely La Nia, which for the first time this century has returned for three consecutive years. The silver iodide causes water droplets in the clouds to form ice crystals that become heavier and fall faster, releasing precipitation. Dr. Zou leads a groundbreaking research project using nanotechnology to develop cloud-seeding materials. March 28, 2022. The most common particulate used in cloud seeding is silver iodide, which has a similar structure to ice crystals and helps supercooled liquid water droplets cluster together. If you enjoyed this episode, we hope you'll take a moment to rate and review us. James Bartolo, a prominent former Melbourne anti-lockdown activist and Covid denier, promoted the bizarre, false explanation on his Facebook page. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This has been an absolute, fantastic conversation. The 2022 eastern Australia floods were one of the nation's worst recorded flood disasters with a series of floods that occurred from February to April in South East Queensland, the Wide Bay-Burnett and parts of coastal New South Wales. Laurel: You were one of the first scientists in the world to explore the use of nanotechnology in cloud seeding. In the U.S., studies have found a few percentage points of increase in precipitation. Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification that mimics what naturally occurs in clouds but enhances the process by adding particles that can stimulate and accelerate the condensation process. Dr. Zou: We want to move the materials, as I mentioned, from laboratory already and scale up, so it has a chance of reaching the market and to reach many different parts of the world as well, because there are so many countries worldwide that practice weather modification. 2023 BBC. The global water shortage has continuously intensified by rapid population growth and economic development around the world. . Conspiracy theorists claim the motive for 'elites' carrying out a 'weather attack', which have seen communities around Byron Bay and Lismore underwater is to move people into 'smart cities'. reach out to us at Handel Aviation operator Mark Handel told AFP on Thursday that the company does not seed clouds. "These aerial captures are commissioned after major weather catastrophes and natural disasters, including following the recent east coast flooding," the NearMap spokesman said. A 2016 news clip was associated with the recent floods in Australia. one follower wrote. Cloud seeding is a form of planned weather modification. "Those numbers tell us that this is an inexpensive way to help add water to the system. Is that correct? At least 3,600 homes are flooded in Gympie. A car is seen submerged in floodwater following heavy rains in the northern town of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, March 30, 2022 in an image taken from video. The Queensland capitals mayor, Adrian Schrinner, says there is a rain bomb over the city. An Australian aviation company says it has received more than 100 threats following an online conspiracy theory that its pilots unleashed a flooding disaster by cloud seeding.. Others pointed to terms used in media coverage as proof the floods were part of an 'attack' and not natural. Leverage advanced weather intelligence and decisioning tools for your enterprise business. "Handel Aviation operates aerial photography aircraft only. Through the advancement in nanotechnology and nanoscience, nowadays we are working to design and engineer cloud seeding materials with optimal properties to ensure water vapor condensation will occur effectively and maximize the rainfall achieved. Australia at present is in short supply of both, and even if more clouds begin to make an appearance in the Australian sky, chances are they will not be the right type. Mr Bartolo, a former bodybuilder who claims to be an army veteran, also promotes a range of other unhinged conspiracies including that vaccines and 5G are weapons, the world is flat, space is fake, the government is run by freemasons, and that the water supply is being poisoned. Trials in Tasmania were also successful and since the 1960s, Hydro Tasmania has continued cloud seeding over the state. That hasn't stopped some TikTok users from denouncing "weather engineering". Conspiracy theorists claim the motive for'elites' carrying out a 'weather attack', which submerged communities around Byron Bay and Lismore, was to move people into 'smart cities'. That aircraft was capturing images of the flood damage at the time, according to the statement. The river peaks overnight at the major flood level of 3.5m, falls slightly after the high tide, and goes higher to eventually peak on Monday at 3.85m below the 2011 peak of 4.46m. Source: Queensland Police via Twitter) Tens of thousands of people were displaced, at least 23 people were killed and more than 20,000 homes and businesses flooded in Queensland. Play it now! In the 1950s, another scientist named Bernard Vonnegut proposed his cloud seeding idea in which he noted that clouds need other particles like bacteria or algae to produce precipitation. What could be the reason behind mass flooding down the east coast of Australia? Theres a small one, a medium one, and a large one. Climatology and Geophysics Agency BMKG said the great flood that hit Jakarta in early 2020 was "one of the most extreme rain events" since . Another weapon used to flood everyone,' a third wrote. According to Domensino, some 611.6mm of rain fell on the city between 9am Friday and 6pm Sunday the highest three-day total in records dating back to 1840. For general feedback and enquiries, please contact us through our Help Desk. Cloud is an effective and safe way to enhance rain and snowfalls above natural levels. Because the coated nanolayers are more hydrophilic and porous, the water can be absorbed easily and increase the local relative humidity of the crystals and increase the probability of forming water droplets. In Australia, water can be a scarce commodity, with variousareas of the country suffering through prolonged droughts at times. Handel Aviation posted a statement in response calling the claims misinformation and denying that it conducts cloud seeding flights, stating that it only operates an aerial photography aircraft. Laurel: That was Dr. Linda Zou, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, who I spoke with from Cambridge, Massachusetts, the home of MIT and MIT Technology Review, overlooking the Charles River. A few decades later, the US military brought cloud-seeding to the battlefield. A dangerous and bizarre conspiracy theory is circulating that the devastating floods which have torn through Australia's east coast are part of a 'government weather warfare attack'. It can enhance precipitation in areas experiencing drought, among other uses. A planned factory marks a major milestone in the US for new batteries that enable lower-cost, longer-lasting EVs. In Australia, cloud seeding is used in some areas to increase surface water runoff for use in the production of hydropower. 'The Gold Coast and surrounds is currently under a government weather warfare attack,' he told his army of devoted followers. It is important to note that the American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South Conspiracy theorists have claimed that cloud seeding leads to climate change and natural disasters like floods. La Nia events can influence weather in different ways across the . Now theyve finally become mainstream. Our recent flights over flooded areas of NSW and QLD are in response to the floods," a statement on the Handel Aviation website reads. one wrote. Question is why?' 2022. NearMap confirmed to AFP the photos taken by Handel Aviation were commissioned to map disaster-affected areas for insurers and emergency services. UAE is in the arid climate zone, and the government has already taken the initiative of this UAE research program for re-enhancement science. The first trials were carried out near Sydney by Kraus and Squires in 1947. A spokesman for the state's water authority says the dam doesn't have a flood mitigation component, so no water was released ahead of the downpour, which came when the state's dam network . The delivery of this salt is to vaporize them by ignition by a flare device. Messaging from rooftops: Lismores flooded residents document a disaster, Eastern Australian states hit by major flooding after rain bomb weather event, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Eastern Australia reeling from NSW and Queensland 2022 floods as downpour moves south video report, NSWdeath toll rises to five; more high impact storms forecast for Queensland as it happened, Australia east coast floods: how to help those affected in NSW and Queensland, There is no comprehending the sound and fury of the flooding that pulverised Brisbane, A jetski turned up with Mick Fanning on it: world champion surfer ferries locals through NSW floods, Ballina flood: thousands of homes impacted with peak to continue for a number of hours, Sydney on high alert for flash flooding over next 24 hours as heavy rain lashes city, Floods and livestock losses leave NSW and Queensland farmers reeling from third disaster in three years, Flood of help: how the NSW and Queensland disaster has brought neighbours closer together, Disaster agency defends not listing Lismore as flooding priority area for funding, NSW and Qld floods live updates latest eastern Australia flood news, Ballina: emergency orders issued for NSW coastal town as waters rise, Lismore man saves 16 people and five dogs after losing his own home, Flash flood warning for parts of Sydney and nearby districts, evacuation orders are issued for South Ballina. That is about three Sydney Harbours worth of water. For one of the planes, only the nose and part of the propeller are visible, and the photograph appears to have been . Despite the online claims, cloud seeding is not responsible for any of the east coast floods, said weather modification expert Simon Siems. The unsubstantiated claims have been spreading at a concerning rate on social media, with thousands seemingly convinced the record rain in northern NSW and Queensland are a 'man made' phenomenon. Laurel: Back to your technology, you filed a patent on the cloud seeding material itself. , first developed in the 1940s, involves spraying fine particles of silver iodide and dry ice into a cloud system. If we had started where we started from in 2011 we would be in serious trouble.. Hydro Tasmania, a hydroelectric corporation, published their analysis after the flood to say that a cloud seeding flight was undertaken on June 5, 2016, which had no measurable impact on rainfall. A flooded road is seen in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, following heavy rains on March 2, 2022. Although cloud seeding has been around since the 1940s, climate change and population growth are driving scientists to take a closer look at the technology, which could offer a viable cost-effective supplement to existing water supplies, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, like the United Arab Emirates. AN AUSTRALIAN AVIATION company says it has received more than 100 threats following an online conspiracy theory that its pilots unleashed a flooding disaster by cloud seeding. To "seed" cloud formation, a small aircraft releases a cloud of particulate matter. The claims circulating online led to more than 100 threats being sent to Handel Aviation, despite it explaining the purpose of the flights on the contact page of the company's website. In the open environment, it's more challenging. Cloud seeding gives these clouds a lot more ice crystals (or cloud nuclei). A really strong storm, she explained, will already have a very strong updraft and windflow characteristics that help create the cloud to begin with. Property damage. The process works by shooting microscopic particles of silver iodide into existing clouds using land based generators or aircraft. It's very promising to know more about the effects of this seeding material. Pictured: Local resident inspects floodwater in her street on March 31, 2022 in Lismore, NSW, Pictured: Debris from flood-damaged homes piles up in Lismore, NSW, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Conspiracy theorist James Bartolo (pictured) claimsAustralia's east coast are part of a 'government weather warfare attack'. But Khan says the Brisbane flooding could easily have been much worse. A La Nia develops when strong winds blow the warm surface waters of the Pacific away from South America and towards Indonesia. 2022 . We are looking forward to moving the seeding materials from laboratory to the commercial venture for not only cloud seeding applications, but wider applications, such as different weather modification efforts, including agriculture or crop protection, hail, or storm suppression, and the artificial snow making at the ski resort. Dr. Zou: Yes. While scientists have blamed the. These particles act as additional condensation nuclei. In it, the newsreader reports on concerns by Tasmanian residents that the region's worst floods in 40 years could have been linked to cloud seeding. However, experts told AFP the floods were naturally occurring and cloud seeding cannot cause flooding. Scientists blame intense rainfall on a combination of factors - but, on social media, unfounded allegations of "weather manipulation" have spread widely. New video piece available now! Some of the natural sources include bushfires, volcanoes and dust storms, while artificial sources of condensation nuclei include industry emissions and cloud seeding operations. Greta Thunberg joins activists' protest against a wind farm in Norway, Stronger hurricanes threaten homes even away from the coasts, Venice canals run dry as lingering weather system impacts tide cycles, Climate change is making winter weather warmer and "weirder". Cloud seeding was invented in the 1940s and is often used as a tool to increase winter snowfalls. The flight path of the Handel Aviation aircraft VH-JIL criss-crossing over flooded areas was also shared online by Australian fashion designer Alice McCall alongside claims it was dropping chemicals to "activate rain.". The condensation nuclei that give birth to clouds are extremely small, measuring around two micrometres, which is about 1/100th the size of a single cloud droplet. Mass Floods and Australia's High-Speed Rail. To achieve this, we use the nanotechnology to deposit titanium dioxide nanoparticles as a shell layer and sodium chloride crystal core. Dr. Zou: The cloud chamber is a three-dimensional experimental environment. As the rain falls, the Brisbane River hits moderate flood levels. These fall to the ground as snow or raindrops, depending on the surface temperatures. Nearmap, which analyzes and distributes the companys photos, confirmed in a statement to the AP that the claims associating Handels recent flight with cloud seeding are false. Ice nucleation is important. "We don't have a co-ordinated effort to change the weather, because it's just physically and financially unfeasible," says Dr Gilbert, who adds that even if cloud seeding played a role, it would have "an absolutely minuscule effect.". A device at the top of the chamber releases the seeding materials. TOTT News March 8, 2022. The 'ice embryos' interact with the surrounding water droplets, and eventually grow to snowflakes. Weather and cloud-seeding experts say it is impossible for the rain-making technology to work on such a large scale, and the incessant downpours are due to a La Nina weather system - a fact that . Welcome, Dr. Zou. The United Arab Emirates is creating its own rain using drones that fly into clouds and unleash electrical charges to beat the sweltering 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) heat. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The technique has been around for decades. Apr 22, 2022. "A pilot from Handel Aviation in Cessna 210N Centurion VH-JIL did a breakfast time cloud seeding run over Lismore South & Ballina today while sightseeing the massive flood below him," one widely shared post reads. Where did it go wrong. Dr. Zou: The conventional cloud seeding materials include mostly hydroscopic salt mixture, which can change from salt crystals into water droplets at the right condition. It is not yet known whether these findings also apply to wild conditions. So it is a synergistic effect. March 8, 2022 . Were having trouble saving your preferences. Ben Domensino, a meteorologist at Weatherzone, says the low pressure trough is delivering the rainfall but an area of colder air higher in the atmosphere is drifting in, making the atmosphere unstable and allowing moisture to be lifted up and dropped as rain. Domensino says while several features in the atmosphere combined to deliver the rain, climate change likely made the event worse. Pictured: Large parts of Lismore in NSW are completely underwater after record rainfall, Hundreds replied to the post with messages claiming 'the government' is using experimental technology to carry out 'cloud seeding'. Tell us that this is an effective and safe way to help add water to the ground as or! Away from South America and towards Indonesia this century has returned for three consecutive years planes! 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