It would be nice if we always had just the right amount of rain at the right time. Unfortunately, however, that is not reality. Sometimes it rains too much, causing a flood, and other times it does not rain for a very long time, causing a drought. In some areas, too much rain becomes a problem, while too little rain poses problems in other areas.

As rain is something that humans cannot control, Koreans in the past relied on superstitions such as rain calling rituals. Today, however, with advanced technology, scientists are attempting to artificially control rain.

Countries in arid regions are the most active in adopting such technologies. Those in Africa and the Middle East with dry climates are investing in artificial rain technology to prepare for climate change, which could lead to worsening water shortages. Other countries are also making similar efforts. Since climate change can be seen anywhere, developed countries and agriculture-focused countries are also looking to acquire technology to control rain. Korea is one of these countries researching artificial rain.

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Artificial rain is a technology that aims to accelerate the fall of rain by dispersing tiny suspended particles called condensation nuclei into the air. When there are clouds in the sky but not enough raindrops can grow in them, rain can be induced by dispersing cloud seeds from airplanes or small rockets.

Substances used as seeds for raindrops include dry ice, salt, and silver iodide. Dry ice is a frozen carbon dioxide gas and is used to keep ice cream frozen. Silver iodide is a compound of silver and iodine. Having a similar structure to ice crystals, it is suitable for inducing rain.

No matter how perfect artificial rainfall technology is, it is not possible to make it rain whenever we want. On a cloudless dry day, no amount of seeds will work. Even if there are clouds, you would get no or little rain without enough water vapor. Therefore, it is more effective to collect rainwater and manage it properly after making artificial rain on normal days with clouds, rather than making artificial rain during a drought. Alternatively, you can make snow fall on high mountains in winter and preserve it until spring.

Artificial rain can be used for other purposes as well. If you make it rain in advance when a typhoon is created, you can weaken its intensity to reduce its expected damage. Rain can also wash away air pollutants. Korea suffers from particulate matter and yellow dust from early winter to the following spring every year. If you make rain in the West Sea during the season, you can reduce the damage from dust flying into Korea. Rain can also help with major wildfires.

However, it is not easy to achieve the desired results. As typhoons are unpredictable, we may reap unwanted consequences if we interfere with nature. Heavy rain is required to wash the dust out of the air, but artificial rain technology is not yet advanced enough. In case of a wildfire, the air is usually dry, which makes it difficult to make artificial rain. It is also not easy to make rain fall on the exact location of the fire. However, keeping the soil moist by making artificial rain on a regular basis will be effective. Korea is trying to secure this technology by conducting artificial rain experiments mostly on the west coast and in Gangwon-do.

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Artificial rain technology can pose a risk of creating international disputes as atmospheric moisture content is limited. If one country makes artificial rain on its territory, its neighboring countries may suffer from drought. It is also possible to intercept clouds on purpose before they reach other countries. This is a selfish act, but it can happen if climate change exacerbates water scarcity. In extreme cases, such conflicts can lead to war.

The technique is sometimes used to prevent rain in a certain area. For example, as rain was expected on the opening day of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government fired rockets to make it rain in other cities around Beijing. As a result, the country was able to keep the city dry and host the opening ceremony successfully.

Controlling rain will make our lives very convenient. However, it can cause conflicts between countries, and we do not know exactly how it will affect nature. While it is an important technology to prepare for climate change, it must be approached with caution.