Popular Science: Humanity’s never-ending quest to control the weather

From my Are We There Yet? column on Pop Sci

For over a century, we’ve turned to technology in an attempt to control the weather. Are today’s geoengineering proposals any better?

Around the turn of the last century, more than 12,000 cannons were installed across Europe. This particular form of artillery was no prelude to World War I. Rather, the massive, cone-shaped barrels were pointed at a common ancient enemy: approaching storm clouds. Sometime in the 1890s, firing hail cannons at the sky overtook alternatives, such as ringing church bells, to ward off crop-damaging hail storms...

Cloud Control: Humanity's never-ending quest to control the weather

Many thanks to Marina Galperina, Popular Science Managing Editor.

Enjoyed this story? You might like "What tech learned from Daedalus" MIT Technology Review