History of Efforts to Modify the Weather
FAIN: FB-53252-07
Kristine C. Harper
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (Socorro, NM 87801-4681)
Global temperatures are rising. So are drought concerns. Is it time to turn the atmosphere into the ultimate, controllable water reservoir? Weather control is not a new idea—it’s been around since the 19th century—but it was not transformed into a scientific state tool until the mid-twentieth century. "Weather by Design" will examine the shift from pre-World War II charlatan-centered “rainmaking” to postwar state controlled weapon, diplomatic tool, and “water-barrel” politics in America. It will explore the intersection of science, technology, and the environment, providing accessible historical context to scholars, policy makers, and general audiences pondering the limits of the technological fix.