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China to Shoot Down Rain Before the Olympics
Have you ever sung, "Rain rain, go away, come again another day?" Well, they're doing a lot more than singing in China. They're trying to change the weather. Scientists at the Weather Modification Office are hoping to make the skies clear for the Olympic Games this summer in Beijing.
The plan is to make all the water in the clouds fall as rain before the wet weather reaches the 91,000-seat stadium where big events like the opening ceremonies will be held. Here's the plan. The Chinese are going to put the chemical silver iodide and dry ice into artillery guns. Then they will shoot the chemicals into clouds that are on their way to Beijing, where the Olympics will be held.
The silver iodide and dry ice will cool the clouds. That should make the water vapor in the air condense. That means all the tiny drops of moisture will form into bigger raindrops. The rain will fall and the clouds will vanish before they reach the stadium. Will it actually work? Nobody knows for sure. Even scientists can't agree.
China is giving the plan their best shot. Over 30,000 farmers with 7,000 anti-aircraft guns loaded rainmaking chemicals will watch for clouds and shoot the rain away. Or try to, anyway.
I'm Adelbert and that's what happened in science this week!
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