Science educator Bill Nye spoke out on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) recent comments suggesting hurricanes are controlled by the government, calling the theories “physically impossible.”
In an interview Friday on CNN “Newsroom,” Nye explained from a scientific perspective why the storm couldn’t have been geoengineered and tied the topic back to climate change.
“The amount of energy in a storm like Milton is more than every military in the world put together at the same time,” he said. Hurricane Milton also caused several tornadoes to break out and strike the state of Florida.
He said a claim like Greene’s “plays on people’s grievances and frustrations,” and he urged people to go out and vote.
Last week, Greene began sharing posts on her social media attempting to tie the areas impacted by Hurricane Helene to the election. She shared a map made by influencer Matt Wallace, who claimed the storm “seemed to almost methodically miss the bluest parts” of “crucial swing states, while simultaneously ravaging the red parts.”
In a post on social platform X on Oct. 3, Greene wrote, “Yes, they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”
X’s community note system flagged the content, adding context that weather cannot be controlled.
Republicans opposed Greene’s comments, with Florida Republican Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez on Wednesday suggesting Greene should have her “head examined” following her posts.
Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards (N.C.), who represents the Asheville area ravaged by Hurricane Helene, also spoke out, releasing a list Tuesday attempting to refute the rumors about Helene and the government’s response, although he did not name Greene directly.