Debunked: Kylie Jenner's Chemtrail Meme Tweet

[Mick West]

Kylie Jenner tweeted the left half of the above image to her 10 Million Twitter followers yesterday, and it has already been retweeted four thousand times. I added the answers on the right.

It's quite a simplistic version of the "chemtrail" theory, but given the amount of attention it has received because of Jenner's celebrity status, I think it's worth addressing directly, and in way that can be reused, hence the above anti-meme.

The text of the above questions and answers:

Q) Why did I see 75 planes spraying white stuff into the sky on my 15 minute drive to work?
A) Everywhere in the US sees from 100 to 500+ jets fly nearby every day. Often water in the exhaust condenses into contrails, which can last for hours, and can be seen from 100 miles away.

Q) Who Pays for this, and why is it happening?
A) "This" is just contrails. The passengers pay

Q) Is something being exterminated here?
A) No (and in fact life expectancy has been steadily increasing over the same years the chemtrail conspiracy theory has been spreading)

Q) Is that something me?
A) No (and if the spray were killing you, it would also be killing them, and their children).

Q) Does this have anything to do with why Honey Bee's are Dying off really fast?
A) No, there's lots of research into Colony Collapse Disorder, scientists don't think contrails are related

Q) Why are some days normal with no Planes spraying and others look like this?
A) It's the weather, like how some days it rains and some days it doesn't

Q) Whos is responsible?
A) Normal air traffic is responsible, there's a lot more now flying at contrail forming altitudes

Q) What effect will this have on our health and our childrens future?
A) None, it's just increasing cloud cover sightly

Q) WHO THE F#*% THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?
A) Nobody. It's just a side effect of airline travel, visual pollution

Q) Am I the only one who see this?
A) No, everyone sees the same sky. People just interpret it differently



There's some links in the answers above for reference, and here are some more:

• Aircraft contrails factsheet. EPA, NASA, NOAA & the FAA: http://www.epa.gov/oms/regs/nonroad/aviation/430f00005.pdf
• Persistent and Spreading Contrails: Contrail Science: http://contrailscience.com/persisting-and-spreading-contrails/
• How to Debunk Chemtrails, Contrail Science: http://contrailscience.com/how-to-debunk-chemtrails/
• Contrails (Vapor Trails) Encyclopedia Brittanica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/623212/vapour-trail

 

[Tunnelvisionary]

For those of you who don't know her, she is somehow related to the Kardashian family (unsure of the specifics) and a celebrity who is rapidly gaining prominence.



She posted this on Twitter today, and all I could do was sigh. Fortunately, most of the fans' replies had nothing to do with the content. But it was widely shared.

 

[Mick West]

Jenner did not even create the meme, it's from 2013 at least.

The thing is, the majority of the questions on there represent, if taken alone, very valid sounding concerns. To people with little understanding of the science of clouds (i.e. most people) it just looks like a well meaning meme about the environment.

 

[Astro]

Maybe I'm just an old fogey, but who the heck is "Kylie Jenner?"

 

[Steve Funk]

For those of you who don't know her, she is somehow related to the Kardashian family (unsure of the specifics) and a celebrity who is rapidly gaining prominence.



She posted this on Twitter today, and all I could do was sigh. Fortunately, most of the fans' replies had nothing to do with the content. But it was widely shared.

Daughter of Bruce Jenner (pre-transition) and Kris Jenner (Kardashian). Younger half-sister to Chloe, Kim and Courtney Kardashian. Bruce Jenner is the former decathlon champion. Kris Jenner's late first husband was one of OJ Simpson's lawyers.

 

[Astro]

Daughter of Bruce Jenner (pre-transition) and Kris Kardashian. Younger half-sister to Chloe, Kim and Courtney Kardashian.

Thank you! So, she's famous because she's the daughter of someone famous? Perhaps slightly off-topic, but it strikes me as a growing problem caused by the effect of social media elevating the prominence of voices based solely on popularity (or even just proximity to popularity) rather than competence. Not sure anything can be done to reverse that trend.

 

[Trailblazer]

It appears that the tweet is being met with a mixture of ridicule and amusement in most quarters...

http://www.vh1.com/news/21263/kylie-jenner-confused-airplanes-chemtrails/

(snip)

 

[Jay Reynolds]

Perhaps slightly off-topic, but it strikes me as a growing problem caused by the effect of social media elevating the prominence of voices based solely on popularity (or even just proximity to popularity) rather than competence. Not sure anything can be done to reverse that trend.

One of the biggest boosts ever for the "chemtrails" hoax was a brief 2010 mention by the musician "Prince" of his belief on Pubic Broadcasting (see F on chart).

 

[Mick West]

Most of her followers seem to be teenage girls, so it's a bit sad that now some of them are going to start believing that they are being poisoned from the sky. Teenage girls (and boys) are very impressionable, and often have a very hard time emotionally. So I think it's well worth try to debunk this particular tweet as quickly as possible.

 

[stars15k]

I wonder how long it will take for her to realize that every time she flies, she is probably making trails? Will that curtail her travel, or make her change her mind? I believe they have their own private planes and pilots, maybe she will ask one of them about it all.

 

[Steve]

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/c...ome-questions-about-chemtrails-154817355.html
Made it to Yahoo news with over 500 comments.

 

[Spectrar Ghost]

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/c...ome-questions-about-chemtrails-154817355.html
Made it to Yahoo news with over 500 comments.

Actually a pretty level headed article. Manages not to be too mocking, though not entirely without. Better than I expected certainly.

 

[Trailblazer]

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/c...ome-questions-about-chemtrails-154817355.html
Made it to Yahoo news with over 500 comments.

Now 2,637 comments! Have Chemtrails Global Skywatch sent in the cavalry?

 

[NoParty]

Maybe I'm just an old fogey, but who the heck is "Kylie Jenner?"

So we have a young lady, famous for being related to someone famous...
passing on a years-old meme...also someone else's...without even the slight bother of some relevant 2015 commentary.

And this is bigger news today than anything any brilliant scientist is doing...

Ah...the era of social media is gonna rock!

 

[Mick West]

Celebrities now have the type of reach that was perviously the domain of the mainstream media. Now we have CBS News with 3.7 million followers on Twitter, and Kylie Jenner with 10 Million, and CNN with 17 Million. Have a look at the top 100. Kylie is not in it (just edged out by the Dalai Lama), but four of her relatives are.
http://twittercounter.com/pages/100

Younger people are increasingly going to get a portion of their world view from celebrity social media. We can bemoan it, but we also need to be ready to do something about it.

 

[Jay Reynolds]

This is currently within the listing of top news stories at google news.

 

[deirdre]

Most of her followers seem to be teenage girls, so it's a bit sad that now some of them are going to start believing that they are being poisoned from the sky. Teenage girls (and boys) are very impressionable, and often have a very hard time emotionally. So I think it's well worth try to debunk this particular tweet as quickly as possible.

It is worth a debunk but I dont think its really a big deal as far as the "Kardashian" fan base.

Everything about the Kardashians is fake, i believe most teenagers realize this intuitively. Everyone knows now "reality TV" is fake and "drama sells". In the long run, it might actually work in our favor.

 

[Mick West]

In the long run, it might actually work in our favor.

Yes, I certainly hope it does. A bit more mainstream media awareness of the theory will lead to quicker debunkings, and less credulous local news.

 

[deirdre]

this was her thing last month ... she says "y'all doing something wrong".

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...hallenge-teens-bruised-plumped-lips/26114555/

 

[MikeC]

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/c...ome-questions-about-chemtrails-154817355.html
Made it to Yahoo news with over 500 comments.

Now over 4500 comments!

 

[Steve]

You know Infowars had to get in on this story.

 

[American Buffalope]

If there ever was a Metabunk topic which truly tested the membership's commitment to the politeness policy, this one would be it.

 

[Steve Funk]

Here is another (possible) example of poor judgment by Kylie Jenner. Pregnant at age 17. Of course, we can't believe everything we read from such sources: http://www.inquisitr.com/2105161/ky...enner-already-planning-reality-show-about-it/

 

[vooke]

It's a wake up call; package 'truth' in appealing wrappers or use celebrities to spread out or forever remain sulking with it as disinformation does a number on you

 

[deirdre]

Here is another (possible) example of poor judgment by Kylie Jenner. Pregnant at age 17. Of course, we can't believe everything we read from such sources: http://www.inquisitr.com/2105161/ky...enner-already-planning-reality-show-about-it/

her falling for the chemtrail hoax isnt 'poor judgement'. Its lack of knowledge of clouds, combustion, aviation, plane load capacity. It's not like Bill Nye the Science Guy is Hanging with the Kardashians.

 

[mrfintoil]

To comment on point #8...
I know plane exhaust is as much of a conspiracy as car exhaust (which also kills a lot of people), but:


"Plane Exhaust Kills More People Than Plane Crashes
Toxic pollutants kill at least ten thousand annually, study says."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101005-planes-pollution-deaths-science-environment/

Let's be fair, exhaust, regardless of source, is not without problems.

 

[Mick West]

Let's be fair, exhaust, regardless of source, is not without problems.

But the issue is not exhaust, it's "spraying white stuff into the sky". The exhaust is exactly the same if it does not make "white stuff".

 

[Trailblazer]

But the issue is not exhaust, it's "spraying white stuff into the sky". The exhaust is exactly the same if it does not make "white stuff".

Exactly. Chemtrail believers post photos of "blue sky days" as some sort of wonderful rare occurrence, but they most likely have just as much plane exhaust in them as the heaviest persistent contrail day.

 

[Spectrar Ghost]

Exactly. Chemtrail believers post photos of "blue sky days" as some sort of wonderful rare occurrence, but they most likely have just as much plane exhaust in them as the heaviest persistent contrail day.

I'd guess more, since some portion of the exhaust would act as CCN, and some further portion would be captured by the cloud formation process. Of course, by the time it got to the ground you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

 

[Pigeonkak]

Thanks Mick. Very nice.

Two things would be great: That this is retweeted ad infinitum by Jenner fans not realising it's the debunk meme, (because who reads anything anymore).

And chemtrail conspiracy theorists lie low for a while because they're so embarrassed Kylie Jenner is one of them.

I'm sharing this with #whosisresponcible

 

[Pete Tar]

her falling for the chemtrail hoax isnt 'poor judgement'. Its lack of knowledge of clouds, combustion, aviation, plane load capacity. It's not like Bill Nye the Science Guy is Hanging with the Kardashians.

mmm... it kind of is. Because *good* judgement would look around a bit to make a better informed opinion about it, and learn those things or accept informed opinions on them; poor judgement just goes with whatever's immediately compelling and doesn't bother to try to auto-correct or confirm.

Perhaps expecting teenagers* to deploy critical thinking skills is itself poor judgement though.

*and celebrity ones no less.

 

[deirdre]

Perhaps expecting teenagers* to deploy critical thinking skills is itself poor judgement though

expecting humanity in general to activate critical thinking skills is probably 'poor judgement' As far as teenagers... the whole point of teenagerdom is non-conformity. So i think they should get a bit of a pass.

Plus, unlike adults, their frontal lobes arent fully developed. so...

 

[Pigeonkak]

Plus, unlike adults, their frontal lobes arent fully developed. so...

Essentially, teenagers are temporarily mentally handicapped? That explains a great deal.

 

[Pete Tar]

There's a fortune to be made for the person who can come up with a pill to chemically simulate the experience of the teenager's brain in an adult. Nostalgia alone would make many want it.

 

[Landru]

There's a fortune to be made for the person who can come up with a pill to chemically simulate the experience of the teenager's brain in an adult. Nostalgia alone would make many want it.

I thought that substance was called alcohol.

 

[MikeC]

Nah - can't agree sorry - having experienced alcohol as a teen and as a (supposed) adult I believe one of the things one wants is to be affected by alcohol as one was as a teen - not as a (supposed) adult!!

Alcohol doesn't achieve that......sadly

 

[WeedWhacker]

I only today heard about "Kylie Jenner".

Of course, the TOP post is perfectly refuting assertions.

This is about a "meme"-tweet....in this era of "social media"?? MUCH more difficult to refute....since "tweets" and other social media sort of texts between "friends" can spread SO fast?? (Including, bad info!!).....

 

[JRBids]

Now 2,637 comments! Have Chemtrails Global Skywatch sent in the cavalry?

Yes they have. THey think any publicity is good publicity. This, by the way, whose very name is the subject of an insult. "Go back to watching the Kardashians---SHILL!"

this was her thing last month ... she says "y'all doing something wrong".

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...hallenge-teens-bruised-plumped-lips/26114555/

Good thing there are no shot glasses in my house I am so tempted to try this, just because!

 

[deirdre]

Good thing there are no shot glasses in my house I am so tempted to try this, just because!

i know. right? lol

 

[Hama Neggs]

http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/...-to-expose-climate-engineering/#comment-85872

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   Concerned in Cali says:
   [*]May 27, 2015 at 6:36 pm
   And we have a wildcard that I think a lot of people didn't expect to hear from .. Kylie Jenner of Kardashian fame posted her concerns about Chemtrails on her Twitter acct. think of her what you will but she has thousands of followers many of them young .. I think she is brave for speaking out . She has already gotten a lot of heat from various news sources for posting .
   
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   • [Broken External Image]:http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/2d1ccb46509700baf821970b60d3d08a?s=32&d=http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=32&r=G Renee says:
     May 27, 2015 at 7:04 pm
     She sure did, when on May 25th, Kylie Jenner used her Twitter account to re-post an all out assault on geoengineering. The post is a picture of an aerosol crisscrossed sky with the following quote, "Lets ask ourselves….Why did I see 75 planes spraying white stuff into the sky on my 15 minute drive to work? Who pays for this and why is it happening? Is something being exterminated here? Is that something me? Does this have anything to do with why Honey Bee's are dying off really fast? Why are some days normal with no planes spraying and others look like this? Who is responsible? What effect will this have on our health and our children\'s future? WHO THE F#*% THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? Am I the only one who sees this?" Kylie's post can be seen herehttps://twitter.com/kyliejenner and
     she has 9,414,042 followers on her twitter feed. I pray her tweet spreads like a bush fire among her followers. Kylie Jenner's tweet is all the rage with my three young adult children, who are already awake, and now believe Kylie could help wake up their peers. Dane, from the bottom of my family's heart, thank you for being the front-line of this, the most important battle EVER, in I believe the entire history of the world.
     
     
   • [Broken External Image]:http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/2c3920059451f95ec790ddd112e3268b?s=32&d=http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=32&r=G CM says:
     May 27, 2015 at 8:13 pm
     great point, but i wanted to clarify that Kylie Jenner has over 9 million twitter followers! That is an amazing number of young people who were handed this message by someone they idolize so I am soooo hopeful many more people will be waking up, gettting angry, and demanding action!