Weather control
Categories: Cleanup from June 2005 | Meteorology | Climatology - Meteorology stubs | Mythology stubs
Weather control is the purported ability to control the weather by the use of prayer, magic, advanced technology, or other means.
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History of weather control
If we dispense with legends, at least American Indians had rituals which they believed could induce rain. The Finnish people, on the other hand, were believed by others to be able to control all weather. Thus Vikings refused to take Finns on their raids by sea. Remnants of this belief lasted well into the modern age, with many ship crews being reluctant to accept Finnish sailors.
The early modern era saw people observe that during battles the firing of cannons and other firearms often precipitated precipitation. The first example of weather control which is still considered workable is probably the lightning conductor.
Various weather control techniques (e.g. cloud seeding) are still being used in today's Russia, especially during preparations for significant anniversaries.
Modern aspirations
There are two factors which make weather control extremely difficult if not fundamentally intractable. The first one is the immense quantity of energy contained in the atmosphere. The second is its turbulence.
Effective cloud seeding to produce rain has always been some 50 years away. People do utilize even the most expensive and experimental types of it, but more in hope than confidence.
Conspiracy theorists have suggested that governments use weather control as a weapon (eg via HAARP and/or chemtrails). Although this has not been proven, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen allegedly gave credence to the idea at a counterterrorism conference in 1997.
Theories and ideas to consider in the future
Considering that this technology, once in existence and active use, may allow scheduling and directing of weather changes and that this may affect a planet's ecosystem and the behaviour of residing plants and living creatures, its introduction would usually mandate new legislation -- pertaining to areas affected by weather control technology -- to avoid any misuse, abuse and mishandling, as there could be very serious and even disastrous consequences.
The extent of ecological repercussions, following serious misuse of this technology, falls within the operating area of such technology. If the area affected is small, the consequences, while possibly serious, can be repaired. If the affected area is neither large, nor small, substantial changes to it may be passed down to the rest of the ecosystem. If the affected area is large, it may experience devastating effects and this may even amount to more than just a natural disaster, possibly affecting the whole of the ecosystem, and in the process, probably making a planet uninhabitable for a very long time.
After such an event, it will be very difficult or even impossible to regain the previous state of affairs. Regaining some kind of natural balance usually takes time. This may be until the damage is relieved and perhaps even repaired by an equally or even more powerful technology /part of this responsibility may be given to weather control. If help comes quickly, then regaining a balance similar to the former will be possible to some extent.
Weather could be stabilised, but the ecosystem as a whole may still be affected forever. So here are a few theories on how things could go:
- One is that the planet would for some time be uninhabitable to humans.
- If the planet stays uninhabitable for humans forever, well, tough luck. Leaving that aside and considering for a moment, that if there is some ecosystem left on the planet, then it will develop in at least two ways /if no outside influence is made use of:
- The ecosystem self-healing itself to a state that's similar to before the disaster, eventually making human habitation possible again -- some at first and then more gradually;
- The ecosystem, having changed completely, moving in another direction to develop on its own, with what lifeforms have been left there attempting to survive. Lifeforms unable to evolve quickly enough to adapt fittingly would die out and those that can adapt through faster evolution (with better survival rates) would thrive. Some species would necessarily split to better adapt to new conditions.
- It's also possible that isolated enclaves of species that were able to exist within previous conditions would persist, but in a larger picture, they would live and survive as a minority. If those species would live without any seriuos predators and dangers, the surviving 'old' species would evolve to be relatively weak. Especially, when confronted with those that had to evolve in cutthroat conditions.
In fiction
In fiction, weather control technology can be encountered in the realm of sci-fi, fantasy and alternative realities. The concept of weather control is often a part of terraforming.
Film/TV
Star Trek
In the Star Trek universe, most advanced planets and colonies utilise weather control. A small, but long-established TNG-era (ca 2369) colony a weather control facility for approximately hundred years. Most modern starships from advanced civilizations of the time have weather control apparatus as standard equipment set up either within the hull and/or as separate machines for utilization on the ground.
Weather control technology at around 2270's required special facilities, modern TNG- and DS9-era technology consists of multiple mid-size devices that can be positioned strategically, then networked and then controlled from more-or-less arbitrary places, perhaps with just a control room set up for monitoring and invoking regular weather changes/patterns (rainfalls, cloud movement, air currents and so on).
For example, the planet Risa has its climate controlled by a weather control network, turning it into a tropical paradise. Perhaps one of the few modern exceptions of planets apparently without weather control technology is Ferenginar, with its constant rain. It could be theorised that the weather control technology may be there just so that rain could be constant.
Other films
In Aliens, a colony sent to LV-426 by the Company utilized a fusion-powered atmosphere processor, which is a huge terraforming facility. In Alien, the planet's climate was not yet suitable for human life.
Storm, a member of the comic book team the X-Men, can control the weather. Two X-Men films have been released as of Autumn 2005, and a third coming up.
Computer games
In the Master Of Orion, a weather control building can be built to change the weather on a planet.
In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, the Allies can build the Weather Control Device superweapon, and direct thunderstorms to strike a selected location of the map every 10 game minutes.
Prose
Ben Bova's The Weathermakers is the story of a government agency that controls the weather.
Sydney Sheldon's "Are You Afraid of the Dark" is the story of a think tank that builds technology powerful enough to create hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis.
In Michael Crichton's "State of Fear," eco-terrorists plan to create a tsunami, calve an iceberg, and induce flash-flooding and hurricanes.
Other Fictional Weather Controllers
DC Comics villain Weather Wizard could control the weather with a special kind of technology in the shape of a wand.
Digimon character Wizardmon could manipulate thunderstorms.