This startup claims it can stop lightning and prevent catastrophic wildfires
A Vancouver-based startup called Skyward Wildfire claims it can prevent catastrophic wildfires by stopping lightning strikes that ignite them. The company raised millions in funding and stated it can prevent the majority of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in targeted storm cells. Skyward's method involves cloud seeding with metallic chaff, a technique evaluated by US government agencies in the 1960s. However, researchers and environmentalists express doubts about the effectiveness and potential environmental impacts of this approach, emphasizing the need for transparency and scientific scrutiny. Skyward's investors see promise in its technology, but without detailed data from field trials or peer-reviewed publications, the effectiveness of their lightning prevention claims remains uncertain.