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Blake, Wm. Dante and Virgil Gazing into the Ditch of the Flatterers. 1824.

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Scientists are warning that future wars could be started over advanced technology that can alter the weather, such as cloud seeding, which artificially causes rain. They caution that if this technology ends up in the hands of malicious actors or megacorporations, the water cycle could become a tool of power.

In one scenario, nations manipulate weather patterns to their advantage, leading to conflicts or even outright battles as countries compete for control of rainclouds. This could potentially divert precipitation away from their neighbors and cause water scarcity in other regions.

Dr. Patrick Keys, Colorado State University: “These scenarios have an ability to raise interesting questions about policy, regulation, and enforcement—what those all may look like. This approach can also help us recognize some of the aspects we may not be paying attention to and make better sense of it all.”