Those long, thin clouds you see behind planes are contrails – not ‘chemtrails’
News 19 WLTX・2 minutes read
Chemtrails conspiracy theory claims airplanes produce chemical trails, but scientific sources like the American Chemical Society and the Environmental Protection Agency assert they are actually harmless contrails formed by jet engine exhaust. Studies, including a 2016 one, have disproven chemtrails, attributing the theory to a 1996 US Air Force report on using aircraft for radar camouflage.
Insights
- Chemtrails, often considered as chemical trails left by airplanes, are actually condensation trails or contrails formed by hot jet engine exhaust meeting cold air at high altitudes, creating ice particles that can persist for varying durations. Studies, including a 2016 investigation, have consistently refuted the existence of chemtrails, with no supporting evidence found in environmental samples taken beneath contrails.
- The origin of the chemtrails theory can be traced back to a 1996 US Air Force report discussing the potential use of aircraft afterburners to scatter carbon for radar concealment, highlighting how misconceptions and misinterpretations of scientific phenomena can fuel enduring conspiracy theories.
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Recent questions
Are chemtrails real or just a conspiracy theory?
Chemtrails are a long-standing conspiracy theory suggesting that airplanes leave behind chemical trails in the sky. However, sources like the American Chemical Society and the Environmental Protection Agency confirm that these are actually condensation trails or contrails formed when hot jet engine exhaust containing water vapor meets cold air at high altitudes. These ice particles can last from seconds to days, debunking the existence of chemtrails.
What do studies say about chemtrails?
Multiple studies, including one in 2016, have debunked the existence of chemtrails. No evidence was found in water, soil, or snow samples collected below contrails. The theory likely originated from a 1996 US Air Force report speculating about using aircraft afterburners to disperse carbon for radar camouflage.
How are contrails formed in the sky?
Contrails are formed when hot jet engine exhaust containing water vapor meets cold air at high altitudes. This interaction creates ice particles that can last from seconds to days, leading to the formation of the trails seen behind airplanes in the sky. Contrails are a natural phenomenon and not chemtrails as suggested by conspiracy theories.
What is the origin of the chemtrails theory?
The chemtrails theory likely originated from a 1996 US Air Force report speculating about using aircraft afterburners to disperse carbon for radar camouflage. This report led to the development of the conspiracy theory that airplanes are intentionally leaving behind chemical trails in the sky, despite scientific evidence proving these trails to be condensation trails or contrails.
What do reputable sources say about chemtrails?
Reputable sources like the American Chemical Society and the Environmental Protection Agency confirm that chemtrails are not real and are instead condensation trails or contrails formed by hot jet engine exhaust containing water vapor meeting cold air at high altitudes. These ice particles can persist in the atmosphere for varying lengths of time, dispelling the myth of chemtrails.
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Summary
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Debunked: Chemtrails are not real.
- Chemtrails, a long-standing conspiracy theory, suggest that airplanes leave behind chemical trails in the sky, but sources like the American Chemical Society and the Environmental Protection Agency confirm that these are actually condensation trails or contrails formed when hot jet engine exhaust containing water vapor meets cold air at high altitudes, creating ice particles that can last from seconds to days. Multiple studies, including one in 2016, have debunked the existence of chemtrails, with no evidence found in water, soil, or snow samples collected below contrails. The theory likely originated from a 1996 US Air Force report speculating about using aircraft afterburners to disperse carbon for radar camouflage.
