Scientists a step closer to steering hurricanes

Robert · #1 10-21-2007, 11:37 PM

Scientists have made a breakthrough in man's desire to control the forces of nature – unveiling plans to weaken hurricanes and steer them off course, to prevent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina....

Scientists a step closer to steering hurricanes - Telegraph

Rocky · #2 10-21-2007, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert

Scientists have made a breakthrough in man's desire to control the forces of nature – unveiling plans to weaken hurricanes and steer them off course, to prevent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina....

Scientists a step closer to steering hurricanes - Telegraph

It sounds like it could be an amazing thing, but imagine the consequences.
You steer a hurricane away from some mainland somewhere, and it wipes out a boatload of people who are in the new path, and now the families are suing for wrongful death.
Or an island is about to get whacked, and their scientists try to veer it away from them, but the result is that it's going to whack another island, and now the other islanders are so pizzed off, that they declare war.
Or maybe both countries/islands have scientists, both trying to steer the storm away from their island, but in so doing so, sending it to the other, so the scientists are trying to outsmart the others, and.....
Well, you get the picture.
And even if they didn't try to steer them, but just weaken them, as the art became standard fare, you'd have people wanting to sue the government for not doing enough, if one did hit mainland and caused a lot of damage and loss of life.
Progress has it's price, and the more that we mess with nature, the more we seem to mess up the planet.

alicious · #3 10-22-2007, 12:06 AM

Sounds like "playing God"

And while I'm not even sure I believe...there is no way that can be a good thing...

Has no one ever read those science fiction books about countries trying to control the weather and the after affects of nature's response...geeeze...scarry stuff...

Chip · #4 10-22-2007, 12:35 AM

We have been successful at controlling nature in many instances, and I could be for this, but since we have become such a litigeous people anymore, I don't know if it would ever happen - think of the treaty they would have to make and how long it would take to pass.

Also imagine a renegade country in Caribbean like Venezuela were to do if a hurricane hit them - probably war, no doubt. As a scientist(engineer, same difference, almost), it sounds promising to me but there seem to be too many hurdles.

alicious · #5 10-22-2007, 12:43 AM

And if we were all to follow the Science fiction books, eventually countries would be able to use weather as a form of war against each other!

I have actually read some real stats about weather control in an Alex Haley book I believe...let me see if I can find it...(unless that is too off topic?..I think it's somewhat relevant though)

alicious · #6 10-22-2007, 01:02 AM

---------------
Ok here it is. It's a Sidney Sheldon book, not Alex Haley..The book is called "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" and is about weather control in the world. It has some real facts at the back about this subject, and how they have been studying this for so long without the knowledge of the general public.

This is copying direct from the book....(from the afterword..it is real info, not fiction)

"In 1969, the U.S patent Office granted a patent for "a method of increasing the likelihood of precipitation by the artificial introduction of sea water vapor into the atmosphere"
It goes on from there to 8 different ways in which governments from around the world have been trying to control the weather since that time period...

Including..

"In the early 1970s, the U.S. Congressional Commity on Oceans and Internal Environment held hearings on military research into weather and climate modification, and found that the defense department had plans for creating tidal waves throughout the coordinated use of nuclear weapons."

"The danger of a devastating confrontation between the United Stated and Russia became so great that in 1977 a UN treaty against weather modification for hostile purposes was singed by the United Stated and Russia"

In 1978 it reports that the USA was able to create an experiment that created "a downpour of rain over six counties in Norther Wisconsin. The storm generated winds of one hundred seventy-five miles per hour and caused fifty million dollars in damages."

Apparently, according to this research, the attempts still being made by the USA and Russia today are currently changing weather patterns.

But imagine if all that was possible so long ago, how much can be accomplished these days?

I think the effects could be a lot more negative then positive!!!

As it is, the DR gets hits less by hurricanes than many other countires...if hurricanes could actually be diverted...I don't think the USA would have any qualms about diverting it towards a country like the DR instead of themselves...

Steve Costa Azul · #7 10-22-2007, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert

Scientists have made a breakthrough in man's desire to control the forces of nature – unveiling plans to weaken hurricanes and steer them off course, to prevent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina....

Scientists a step closer to steering hurricanes - Telegraph

A category 3 hurricane, is 1000 times the energy of the Hiroshima bomb! The above statement, in my opinion, is in inaccurate and will NEVER change the direction of Mother nature's incredibly harsh & historic path.

Steve

Chris · #8 10-22-2007, 09:38 AM

Geez. No-one wants a hurricane. But the pattern of weather during hurricane season brings fresh water to islands who would otherwise have very little of it. Somehow I would rather deal with the consequences of a hurricane than with the unintended consequences of a human decision to send a weather system somewhere else. If we have a hurricane in the caribbean basin or in the Gulf of Mexico, I'd like to hear where they're going to send it off to?

Chip · #9 10-22-2007, 09:59 AM

The real solution in the US is to stop having the Federal Government subsidize insurance for people that live in the Flood Zones. That and require homes along the coast to built to higher strength standards, like the concrete reinforced homes here in the DR. This is not to say that the governement shouldn't offer disaster relief services, but just don't take the responsibility for poor choices by the homeowners for newly built homes nor continued responsibility for communities built in these areas before science was advanced enough to recognize problematic areas.

dietcokeplease · #10 11-01-2007, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alicious

Sounds like "playing God"

And while I'm not even sure I believe...there is no way that can be a good thing...

Has no one ever read those science fiction books about countries trying to control the weather and the after affects of nature's response...geeeze...scarry stuff...

Ya, I agree with the above. I don't believe in god, but I must agree.
If you can stop Hurricanes altogether, then fine. But to change their course (I don't think I spelled that right-oops), just sounds foolish and dangerous. NOT meant to offend anyone. I just think that there's no point in senseless destruction, because so you veer the hurricane off course, and it hits another place/island/country/city. BAD IDEA!-If you don't mind me saying.

Sicerely,
Dietcoke