Pink sun over Spain: the physics that debunks the conspiracies
Haze and light scattering explain the pink sun that has caught attention in Spain. The data debunks the conspiracy theories.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Pink sun in Spain: basic physics, not a "colour shift"
Recently, dozens of videos have shown a pinkish sun over several Spanish cities. Social media went into overdrive: from the global agenda to a glitch in the Matrix, not to mention a publicly funded "colour shift". The explanation, as is nearly always the case, is more boring: suspended particles.
Light scattering comes into play when the air contains wildfire smoke, haze or Saharan dust. The particles filter out blue light and let red light through, tinting the sun and the sky. No nearby fire is needed: haze travels in layers between 1,500 and 5,000 metres above the ground and crosses the Atlantic in two days, so the phenomenon can occur without any flames nearby.
In the face of physics, conspiracy theories did their thing, fuelled by the habit of looking at a phone before looking at the sky. Reality, however, is stubborn: the atmosphere, the particles and the angle of the light explain everything without any need for hidden agendas.
The same Saharan dust that baffles half of Spain travels more than 5,000 kilometres to the Amazon and fertilises the rainforest every year. The sky turning pink is not a system hack; it is the planet working. Something scarier than any conspiracy.
Recently, dozens of videos have shown a pinkish sun over several Spanish cities. Social media went into overdrive: from the global agenda to a glitch in the Matrix, not to mention a publicly funded "colour shift". The explanation, as is nearly always the case, is more boring: suspended particles.
Light scattering comes into play when the air contains wildfire smoke, haze or Saharan dust. The particles filter out blue light and let red light through, tinting the sun and the sky. No nearby fire is needed: haze travels in layers between 1,500 and 5,000 metres above the ground and crosses the Atlantic in two days, so the phenomenon can occur without any flames nearby.
In the face of physics, conspiracy theories did their thing, fuelled by the habit of looking at a phone before looking at the sky. Reality, however, is stubborn: the atmosphere, the particles and the angle of the light explain everything without any need for hidden agendas.
The same Saharan dust that baffles half of Spain travels more than 5,000 kilometres to the Amazon and fertilises the rainforest every year. The sky turning pink is not a system hack; it is the planet working. Something scarier than any conspiracy.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (16 replies).
More summaries
-
Migrant camp in Ceuta, 150 meters from an explosives depot
A migrant camp in Ceuta, 150 meters from an explosives depot. Interior warned of the risk at the port, and the National High Court halted the camp.
-
The Roots' Reckoning Against the Globalist Narrative
A text attributed to Benedict XVI reignites debate: land law vs. globalism and debt as control over workers.
-
Ceuta: The Social Powder Keg No One Wants to Defuse
Ceuta faces extreme social tension: 83,600 inhabitants, four religions, and migratory pressure overwhelming services. Will the conflict erupt?
-
Seseña: El Pocero Flats Double in Price to €280,000
El Pocero flats in Seseña, priced at €80,000 in 2014, are now selling for €280,000. The housing crisis revives El Quiñón, with a waiting list.
-
Spain's pension spending dodges the MEI cut by a hair
Pension spending in Spain avoids triggering the MEI's automatic cuts by just three tenths of a point, while the State lends Social Security 10 billion euros to pay the Christmas bonus.
-
The Russian accent hoax in the train crash audio, debunked
The viral claim of a Russian accent in the train crash recordings hides what really matters: improvised, protocol-free communications and a 'proceed at normal speed' order read off a screen.