The Controversy Surrounding HAARP: Debunked
By: Taylor Aiello
It is no secret that any catastrophic event is likely to bring controversy and conspiracy theories. There are many people who believe that there is a deeper meaning or unknown answer for anything ranging from terrorist attacks and assassinations to natural disasters. One research facility in specific has received a unique amount of attention after conspiracy theorists deemed that they were responsible for controlling the weather and people’s minds.
What is HAARP?
This scientific facility, HAARP or High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program was built in 1993 in Gakona, Alaska. It began as an ionospheric research program funded by the United States Air Force, the Navy, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Kleiman). More specifically, HAARP studies an undisclosed part of the upper atmosphere, the ionosphere. According to NASA, “The ionosphere stretches roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth’s surface, right at the edge of space. Along with the neutral upper atmosphere, the ionosphere forms the boundary between Earth’s lower atmosphere – where we live and breathe – and the vacuum of space” (HAARP). The U.S. military was determined to study the ionosphere because this area of the atmosphere plays a role in transmitting radio signals. In order to better understand the physics of the ionosphere, the facility uses a high-power radio frequency transmitter, among other equipment, sending radio beams into the atmosphere and subsequently studying the responses from it (Kleiman). The photograph below depicts a 40-acre grid of towers that is used to conduct research on the ionosphere.
UAF photo by Todd Paris
Controversy Surrounding HAARP
Since scientists are looking into unknown and obscure territory, many people have become skeptical about their intentions. In fact, individuals have placed blame on the facility for causing natural disasters and global warming, manipulating human brains, and for being the source of humming noises in the sky. Additionally, the Venezuelan leader Huge Chavez claimed that the 2010 Haitian earthquake was caused by HAARP or a program like it. People have called in death threats to researchers at the facility, in the belief that they are the reason why the average temperature in their state is warmer than usual. Researchers at the facility state it is nothing more than a misunderstanding. In fact, one research assistant professor at UAF, Chris Fallen, stated, “HAARP cannot control the weather, contrary to one conspiracy theory. It has too little power and affects a different part of the atmosphere … Neither can it manipulate our brains, as alleged by another theory. Generally, space physicists focus on regions more than 60 miles above our heads, where HAARP’s radio waves are 100 times weaker than those from mobile phones” (Fournier). Scientific data also showed the 2010 Haitian earthquake was caused by “slippage of previously unmapped fault along the border of the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates” (Kleiman). Furthermore, the sole purpose of the facility is to heat small regions of the ionosphere and observe the effects, and the facility does not keep their goal a secret. In fact, in an interview with VICE news, HAARP scientists openly discussed the purpose of their facility, and stated that no aspect of their program is top secret or classified, in contrary to the beliefs of some individuals. Additionally, there are days where the facility is kept open for open houses and any person can tour and see first-hand the equipment that studies the ionosphere. HAARP, therefore, is not responsible for controlling the weather or the human brain.
The link to the VICE interview video is below:
Conclusion
Even though HAARP is not a highly debated controversy, it has certainly led to dispute among scientific professionals and the everyday people. However, there is significant scientific data to dispute the previously mentioned controversies. There is a logical explanation for natural disasters, as seen with the 2010 Haitian earthquake. This facility is also not the cause of global warming or manipulation of human brains. Additionally, I believe that if HAARP was involved in something manipulative, they would not be so open to conducting interviews or letting the everyday person walk around the facility during their open houses. The HAARP facility has simply become a target because of its secluded location and endeavor into an unrevealed region of space. Therefore, the conspiracy theory surrounding HAARP should be debunked.
Works Cited
Fournier, Elle. “HAARP Research Attracts Conspiracies, Misunderstandings.” UAF News and Information, 5 June 2017, news.uaf.edu/haarp-research-attracts-conspiracies-misunderstandings/.
Kleiman, Michael. “Conspiracy Theories Abound as U.S. Military Closes HAARP.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 11 June 2015, www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/conspiracy-theories-abound-u-s-military-closes-haarp-n112576.
“Welcome to the New HAARP Website.” HAARP, haarp.gi.alaska.edu/.
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