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| - Last Updated on September 21, 2023 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
A social media post claims that chemtrails are harmful to humans. The post further claims that chemtrails contain aluminum, barium, strontium, and ethylene which are causing physical discomfort, runny nose, and respiratory congestion among people. The post further relates cognitive fog, headache, migraine, fatigue, feelings of sadness or low energy, restlessness, anxiety, and digestive issues to chemtrails. We fact-checked and found the claim to be Mostly False. Our research shows that ‘chemtrails’ is not a valid concept, but rather a conspiracy theory spread intentionally.
The Claim
An Instagram post claims that chemtrails, alleged to contain chemicals, have detrimental effects on health. The accompanying post features a picture of a blue sky intersected by multiple aircraft contrails. The caption included hashtags such as #chemtrails, #geoengineering, #poisonskies, #skybastards, #corruptgovernment, #blockingthesun, #evil, #crimesagainsthumanity, and #pennsylvaniaskies.
The text overlaid on the picture claims that people can experience discomfort due to aluminum, barium, strontium, and ethylene in chemtrails. The symptoms include runny nose, respiratory congestion, cognitive fog, headaches or migraines. Others are fatigue, feelings of sadness or low energy, restlessness or anxiety, or digestive issues.
A screenshot of the post has been attached below:
Fact Check
What are chemtrails?
Chemtrails, as commonly referred to in conspiracy theories, are believed to be the visible trails left behind by aircraft in the sky. These trails allegedly contain harmful chemicals or substances. Conspiracy theorists claim that chemtrails are spread intentionally. Such an activity might regulate weather modification, mind control, population control, or even the spreading of diseases. They have even gone to the extent to saying that covid vaccine is being sprayed through chemtrails debunked by THIP Media.
Are chemtrails harmful to humans?
We do not know. The available evidence only suggests that “chemtrails” is widely regarded as a conspiracy theory unsupported by scientific evidence. We found no scientific evidence that supports the existence of chemtrails. The chemtrail hoax has been circulating since at least 1966.
Often mistaken for chemtrails, contrails are long trails of condensation released from aircraft engine exhaust. Contrails does not have known detrimental effects on human health. We previously debunked The Simpsons Show claims that contrails cause respiratory illnesses to show that they do not pose any significant risk to the environment as well.
Contrails does not contain the ingredients mentioned in the Instagram post. They forms when hot engine exhaust mixes with cold air and creates a contrail of condensed water vapor. Aircraft emissions such as sulfur compounds and soot particles can induce the formation of trails. However, atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity impacts their duration and size. Also, evidence shows that contrails do not reach the Earth’s surface since they fall slowly and eventually evaporate.
Our Mumbai-based Pulmonologist, Dr Sarthak Rastogi confirms the same, He informs, “Contrails have no human health impact. They generally evaporate as they start coming down and never reach the earth’s surface. So they do not have any form of interaction with humans. The only way contrails can lead to human impact is by contributing to global warming.”
Besides this, the evidence informs that contrails are a normal consequence of aviation activity and there is no large-scale, nefarious spraying operation. But conspiracy theorists suggest that chemtrails are deliberate sprays of chemical or biological agents for harmful or undisclosed purposes.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, contrails from Air Force-operated aircraft may contain additional components like exhaust gases, flares, sprays, or fuel releases. Also, the report states that these activities usually have limited environmental impact. The Air Force intentionally sprays chemical compounds (insecticides, herbicides, fire retardants, oil dispersants) only during aerial spraying for pest or weed control and fire suppression.
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