I propose that an army of butterflies are trapped, and they are then made to flap their wings continuously for a set amount of time. We would try to create a game out of it, much like a hamster running around a tiny wheel.
In a months time, we will probably see a marked change in the number of hurricanes. If it is an increase, then the program is scrapped as a faliure. If it is a decrease, it will be much celebrated and goes on to become an annual tradition.
(I'm not trying to make light of the recent disaster, I just see this as being as plausible as some of the actual ideas for combatting future hurricanes).-- hidden truths, Sep 23 2005 How I understand chaos theory is that small change "can" trigger a major change in the environment. It doesn't say that it will. Sure, just because I'm flapping my arms right now the hurricane in August, 2008 could move 2 KM west. But what you are proposing control - chaos theory doesn't help you with that. Interesting topic but I'll have to [-] this idea.-- ixnaum, Sep 23 2005 The month time limit was from using the quote: "The flapping of a single butterfly's wing today produces a tiny change in the state of the atmosphere. Over a period of time, what the atmosphere actually does diverges from what it would have done. So, in a month's time, a tornado that would have devastated the Indonesian coast doesn't happen. Or maybe one that wasn't going to happen, does" I never intended to imply that there would be actual control over the results.
Also, I challenge you to prove that the main intended effect of this idea wasn't to get you to flap your arms.-- hidden truths, Sep 23 2005 I couldn't possibly be "flapping my arms right now" because my fingers were stuck to the keyboard :-)
I was flapping mentally ... but that counts too... and so does typing the words "flapping my arms right now" ... I love chaos theory :-) ... but I stand behind my stance that chaos theory as a control mechanism for hurricanes is nonsense.-- ixnaum, Sep 23 2005 Hmm ... maybe I didn't get the tone of your voice right -- I think you mean this in a voodooish / religious sort of a way ... not as a science.... right? ok I'm flopping to neutral now
as [ixnaum] clicks the button the slight electric current change sent over the internet will trigger a major earth quake in the year 2053.-- ixnaum, Sep 23 2005 voodooish / religious? How did you get that? I was thinking of a worth a go, might work out well kind of thing.-- hidden truths, Sep 23 2005 You would be able to get a more noticable difference (noticable used as loosely as possible), if you breath out, turn 180 degrees, breath in, turn 180 and repeat. Get lots of people to do this and you have hurricane making / prevention. Although this just brings us to the same turf as "If everyone in china jumped at the same time..."-- fridge duck, Sep 24 2005 random, halfbakery