Climate scientist discusses "chemtrails" conspiracy theories
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David Keith speaks during a panel discussion on geoengineering at the University of Chicago in October 2024. Photo: Jason Smith, University of Chicago
Climate scientist David Keith said he's at least twice called police because of threats related to his work on solar geoengineering, in which a portion of the Sun's rays are reflected into space to temporarily cool the planet.
Why it matters: The incidents reflect — no pun intended — important lessons with regard to society's debates over climate and energy.
- They show the expansive reach of negative rhetoric, particularly across social media. Even the most complicated and wonky topics can provoke heated words that can cause worry (or far worse).
- Such intensity risks warping scientific and political debates about a technology that's increasingly being considered to cool the planet as extreme weather worsens and greenhouse gas emissions keep rising.
Catch up quick: Keith, a University of Chicago professor and climate scientist, is one of the world's foremost experts on geoengineering and related technologies.
- He's researching these topics as founding faculty director of the university's Climate Systems Engineering Initiative.
In a wide-ranging interview, he mentioned the threats were from conspiracy theorists about so-called "chemtrails," which falsely claim that linear cloud-like formations from planes' exhausts are actually chemicals aimed at somehow controlling the weather or even biological warfare.
- In reality, the "contrails" — short for condensation trails — are clouds created by planes via water vapor and small amounts of other trace gases.
What they're saying: "It worries me," Keith told Axios in the interview, which was recorded last year for an episode of a new podcast called "Shocked" that ran this week.
- "I myself have been the target of people who really believe in the chemtrails conspiracy and conflate that with geoengineering, and therefore believe that I'm one of the cabal that's attempting to do extermination or mind control or what have you."
Yes, but: "I've also had many conversations with 'chemtrails' people and all of the actual face-to-face conversations have been pretty polite," Keith said.
- "I think you can draw a larger lesson about conspiracies and insanity in American culture there: That it's usually better face-to-face than over social media."
Driving the news: The Trump administration has taken varied steps on the topic. In July, the EPA created an informational website about geoengineering, including a section distinguishing it from contrails, which also sends users to a website on contrails that says the "chemtrails" theory is false.
- The EPA has also sought information from one controversial startup in the space, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said on social media that HHS "will do its part" to support bans on geoengineering.
What's next: A House subcommittee is holding a hearing Tuesday on these technologies, led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R.-Ga.), who recently introduced a bill that would ban geoengineering and similar types of tech.
- Numerous states are moving to ban geoengineering and similar technologies, based at least partly on the false conspiracy theory of chemtrails.
Reality check: Such moves are looking to ban something that isn't happening on any significant scale — though various types of research are underway, which is controversial in and of itself.
Editor's note: This article was written partly based on content from the "Shocked" podcast, which was created by a team including experts at the University of Chicago's Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth and producers at Magnificent Noise. Amy is also the institute's inaugural journalism fellow.
