Texas Floods: Conspiracy Theories Surround Peter Thiel-Backed Rainmaker's Cloud Seeding Practices

Peter Thiel-backed Rainmaker has denied allegations that its cloud seeding operations caused the recent flash floods in Texas. Experts have debunked these conspiracy theories, stating that cloud seeding can only enhance existing rainfall, not create storms of this magnitude. The floods, one of the deadliest in Texas history, killed over 100 people and caused widespread devastation.

Amid the tragic aftermath of recent flash floods in central Texas, conspiracy theories linking the disaster to cloud seeding operations by Rainmaker, a weather modification start-up backed by U.S. software billionaire Peter Thiel, have gained traction on social media. These claims, which suggest that the floods were triggered by Rainmaker's activities on July 2, have been widely circulated, with one post viewed by over 2.6 million people, according to DW News.

Rainmaker CEO Augustus Doricko has firmly denied these allegations, stating that their activities had no connection to the floods. Experts in the field, including Edward Gryspeerdt from ICL and award-winning chief meteorologist Travis Herzog, have also debunked these theories. They explain that cloud seeding can only enhance existing rainfall, not create storms of this magnitude. Matthew Cappucci, senior meteorologist at MyRadar, stated, “In dry environments, adding cloud condensation nuclei can help clouds drop subtly more rain…You don’t spontaneously make 4 trillion gallons of water appear in Texas” [1].

Despite the widespread dissemination of these conspiracy theories, scientific consensus supports Doricko’s claim. The Texas floods, one of the deadliest in the state’s history, were triggered by a storm that dumped nearly a foot of rain in the region, causing extensive devastation and loss of life. The latest death toll has crossed 100, including 30 children, with nearly 180 people missing, reported Reuters on Wednesday [2].

Prominent U.S. leaders, including Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook, former President Barack Obama, and officials from both parties, reacted with grief and solidarity to the catastrophic floods. Meanwhile, climate protesters stormed the NYC Apple Store, confronting CEO Tim Cook amid the Texas flood crisis.

References:
[1] https://www.benzinga.com/news/esg/25/07/46313567/did-peter-thiel-backed-rainmakers-cloud-seeding-trigger-texas-flash-floods-experts-weigh-in-on-conspiracy-theories
[2] https://www.mobileworldlive.com/att/us-big-3-rally-after-texas-flooding/