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Meteorology: Taming the sky

Nature volume 453, pages 970–974 (2008)Cite this article

Is it really possible to stop rain, invoke lightning from the heavens or otherwise manipulate the weather? Jane Qiu and Daniel Cressey report on the once-scorned notion of weather modification.

China wants everything to be under control at the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games on 8 August — even the weather. The chance of rain that day is 47%, according to the Beijing Meteorological Bureau. The iconic 91,000-seat main stadium, nicknamed the 'bird's nest' because of its interlacing steel beams, has no roof. So Chinese meteorologists will use weather-modification technologies to try to stop rain from spoiling the party.

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References

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Authors
  1. Jane Qiu
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  2. Daniel Cressey
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Additional information

See Editorial, page 957 .

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National Research Council on weather modification

China Meteorological Administration

Weather Modification Inc

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Qiu, J., Cressey, D. Meteorology: Taming the sky. Nature 453, 970–974 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/453970a

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