We already know that humans are at least indirectly responsible for affecting the weather, pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and warming the planet. But China has taken it even further. According to a study conducted by scientists at Tsinghua University in Beijing, the Chinese government successfully managed to temporarily eliminate air pollution to create blue skies on the day that the Chinese Communist party celebrated its 100th anniversary.
On July 1, an estimated 70,000 people attended a ceremony in Tiananmen Square that was headlined by an airshow that showed off some of China’s latest military technology, including jets and helicopters flying in a “100” formation to celebrate the event. The government was allegedly concerned that air pollution and overcast skies would distract from the spectacle. To clear the skies, the government reportedly launched a cloud-seeding operation, a controversial and barely studied technology that can modify the weather.
