Original article (in Albanian) was published on 16/4/2025; Author: Patris Pustina
A video circulating on social media, including Albanian-speaking platforms, claims to show an aircraft spraying chemicals.
The video is being shared as part of the chemtrail conspiracy theory. This theory suggests that the government or other entities are involved in a secret program to release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere via airplanes, creating visible trails in the sky, like those left behind by planes. One of the videos features a Boeing 747 SuperTanker, which appears to be releasing something.
The video was first uploaded to YouTube on April 10, 2013, with the description claiming it shows a test release of the airplane’s water tanks at high altitude. The Boeing 747 SuperTanker is used to extinguish large fires from the air.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NASA, the white streaks that appear behind airplanes in the sky are known as contrails. These are mainly made up of water and ‘are not harmful to human health.’
Contrails are created when water vapor and tiny particles from the combustion of airplane fuel freeze into ice crystals. In air with low humidity, these crystals simply disperse. If the air has higher humidity, they remain and create the visible vapor trails seen in the sky. This difference in humidity levels explains why some airplanes leave contrails while others do not.
On November 22, 2016, a survey of atmospheric scientists was published in Environmental Research Letters. Of the 77 scientists who participated, 76 (98.7%) stated that there was no evidence of a large-scale secret atmospheric spraying program, and that the data often cited as proof could be explained by other factors.
As the research team led by physicist David Keith at Harvard University explains, there is no evidence supporting the existence of chemical trails (chemtrails). If such a large-scale government program were to exist, it would require an equally massive effort to produce, load, and distribute the materials involved. Thousands, or even tens of thousands, of people would need to be involved in these operations. This would make it extremely unlikely for the program to remain a secret for long, as it would only take one person with proof—such as photos, documents, or physical evidence—to expose it.
These proofs have not yet emerged.
In the words of Keith’s team:
‘If you believe in chemtrails, ask yourself how you can be so sure that there really is a huge conspiracy. Consider alternative, simple explanations. Keep in mind that the internet is full of people who are absolutely certain about things that simply aren’t true. Also, remember that although governments may keep secrets involving only a few people, they fail to keep large programs secret. For example, the Russians knew specific details about the atomic bomb project before the first nuclear weapon test took place, and in that case, those involved in the project had the clear patriotic motive to keep the secret.
If you think that contrails ‘look different’ or ‘behave strangely,’ remember that regular contrails sometimes last a long time, and the way they appear can suddenly change along the same path because airplanes fly through areas with different temperatures and humidity. […] Of course, it’s possible that something else is happening, but proving that requires more than just photos of something that looks the same as regular contrails.’
Faktoje has previously fact-checked claims related to the so-called chemtrails.
