The UAE wants to build a full-scale, artificial mountain to generate rainfall

[Shawn Knight]

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is synonymous with excess. Located on the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE is one of the wealthiest regions in world which affords it the luxury to build virtually anything it conceives.

The world’s tallest building? Check. An indoor ski slope in the middle of the desert? No problem. A massive island complete with Grand Prix circuit? You bet.

Now, the Middle East nation wants to build a full-size, artificial mountain that it’ll use to help create clouds and ultimately, rainfall.

The colossal project is currently in the research phase. The UAE has commissioned experts from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), to determine what type of mountain is needed, its elevation and how high the slopes should be.

NCAR scientist and lead researcher Roelof Bruintjes points out that the presence of mountains force air to rise which creates clouds that scientists can then modify through a process known as cloud seeding. The desired result here would of course be to create increased amounts of rainfall.

The proposed location of the artificial mountain hasn’t been finalized as experts are still testing out various sites across the UAE.

Bruintjes notes that if the project is deemed too expensive (that’d be surprising given the region’s deep pockets), they’ll at least have an idea of what kind of alternatives may exist for the future. If financially feasible, the nation will then meet with an engineering firm to determine if it’s physically possible to build the artificial mountain.

Image courtesy The Berg

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https://www.techspot.com/news/64665-uae-full-scale-artificial-mountain.html

 

[Uncle Al]

If the Chinese can build islands, then they can surely build a mountain. From the ecological standpoint, it certainly would be interesting to see if it could/would generate as much moisture as they predict as well as what the over all impact would be on that small region. No doubt you will see the sale of snow ski's go through the roof! (pardon the pun)

 

[m4a4]

I'll just be waiting for the Climate Change warriors to say something about this

 

[Arris]

How about "Landfill mountain"? Had a nice ring to it.

 

[davislane1]

I'll just be waiting for the Climate Change warriors to say something about this

The UAE is a ZFG-class state. The only thing that will be more grandios than this mountain will be how little they care about what climate zealots have to say on the matter. Fun times all around.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I would think that the sheer volume of material a mountain of any significant elevation contains might be the real challenge to re-create

 

[TracerDX]

Ants do this all the time.

 

[lipe123]

Why don't they just evaporate or desalinate seawater and pump it into the desert?

They have all the sun for a big-*** solar farm to power everything for free and over time it should make for a nice oasis/forest?

 

[Jen pinas]

The Ancient Ifugaos,built the famous Rice Terraces in Baguio,but it is Philippine soil..nature also helped with the formation.it could be possible here too.

 

[psycros]

A shame they can't build a few shelters for their fellow Arabs getting slaughtered by ISIL. Instead these filthy rich hypocrites ***** at Europe for not allowing the invasion to continue uncontested.

 

[DAOWAce]

I'll just be waiting for the Climate Change warriors to say something about this

You should ask Exxon.

 

[Billak]

If the Chinese can build islands, then they can surely build a mountain. From the ecological standpoint, it certainly would be interesting to see if it could/would generate as much moisture as they predict as well as what the over all impact would be on that small region. No doubt you will see the sale of snow ski's go through the roof! (pardon the pun)

The correct term is, "If the Chinese can steal islands..."

 

[psycros]

If the Chinese can build islands, then they can surely build a mountain. From the ecological standpoint, it certainly would be interesting to see if it could/would generate as much moisture as they predict as well as what the over all impact would be on that small region. No doubt you will see the sale of snow ski's go through the roof! (pardon the pun)

The correct term is, "If the Chinese can steal islands..."

Or, "build islands *illegally*". Can't leave that out.

 

[treetops]

A man in Africa started planting trees everywhere telling everyone it would make more rain, he was the village ***** until it worked. Wish I could remember what I saw that on, I think it was PBS.

 

[Uncle Al]

Or, "build islands *illegally*". Can't leave that out.

Have to teach their air force how to fly AROUND the mountain because somebody is certainly liable to try to fly through it! ROFL

 

[lazer]

They are fortunate to have the money to hire foreign engineers and scientists to make it work. Then they hire foreign workers to build it.

Is it better to have lots of money or have (and use) brains?

 

[captaincranky]

Maybe we should send Elon Musk over there with a couple of spare nukes. He's going to nuke the polar caps on Mars for water, you know. This could be a "good warm up test". <(pun intended) I imagine as the desert is already warm, it'll be easy for him to sidle in and take credit for that along the way.

Remember, where there's a new hole in the ground, there's always a big pile of dirt next to it. You blow a big enough hole, you'll get a mountain next to it. And there you have it, I channeled Elon Musk for a feat of nuclear engineering! (y)

 

[captaincranky]

Is it better to have lots of money or have (and use) brains?

@lazer If you have to ask, it's likely you have neither!

(Sorry man, but that was just too soft a target to let slip by).

 

[cliffordcooley]

This is actually a cover up for the Umbrella Corporation building a new Hive. The dirt and rock that is dug up has to go somewhere. hahahaha

 

[captaincranky]

You know, I'm so out of touch I had to google that to get the joke... I've seen "Resident Evil" movies, but I was so busy checking out Milla Jovovich's a**, I can't remember a single thing about the plot....

 

[cliffordcooley]

That one is Ultraviolet

P.S. I've had to google some of your jokes as well.

 

[captaincranky]

That one is Ultraviolet

So not "Resident Evil" and she's facing front? Although, that outfit really is more of a maroon. "Out of touch" for me, is an understatement

P.S. I've had to google some of your jokes as well.

Oh hell, my stuff you have to dust off before you google it.....

MODS: EDIT LINE______________________________________________________________

Hey Cliff, she has long fingers. I know what they say about men with long fingers. Now I'm trying to remember what they say about women with long fingers... Oh right, "they don't need us"...

Wow, talk about "Resident Evil":

Wanna bet if you laid her on her back, her stomach would form clouds?

Annnnnnd, we're back on topic.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Hey Cliff, she has long fingers.

It's funny you mentioning her finger after posting the photo of her playing Ultraviolet. Especially when you say you haven't seen the movie. She has two fingers cut off in the movie. And when I saw the photo, I was looking for evidence of them bleeding. Her outfit didn't change to that color, until after she lost her two fingers.

 

[captaincranky]

It's funny you mentioning her finger after posting the photo of her playing Ultraviolet. Especially when you say you haven't seen the movie. She has two fingers cut off in the movie. And when I saw the photo, I was looking for evidence of them bleeding. Her outfit didn't change to that color, until after she lost her two fingers.

For me, movies are disposable. I have seen "UV", and "Resident Evil", I just can't remember squat about it.

My sequential memory has always sucked. It's bad enough that it kills any hopes of serious musicianship. Every song to me is like, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". Who on earth can remember anything beyond the 1st verse of that?

In any event, her left index finger looks pretty long. Who knows, maybe she yanked some of the Kleenex out of her bra, and stuffed it in her glove.

I'm guessing you're going to say this isn't from Resident Evil either:

 

[cliffordcooley]

I'm guessing you're going to say this isn't from Resident Evil either:

I didn't say that about the first one. I only identified the image used. However I can't identify the one you just posted. lol