The Tennessee bill, introduced in the senate by Republican Steve Southerland, does not use the term “chemtrails”. The language in the bill, however – there is talk of the government “intentionally dispersing chemicals into the atmosphere” – directly evokes a decades-old conspiracy theory.

… The idea is that the government, or shadowy private organizations, are pumping out toxic chemicals, with the aim being anything from modifying the weather to controlling a population’s minds.

This is not happening, scientists say.

“There’s no such thing as chemtrails,” said Alan Robock, a climate science professor at Rutgers university.

Doug Mastriano [R-Around-the-bend], a state senator in Pennsylvania, declared that he too would pursue a[n anti-chemtrail] law which would “ensure the skies over Pennsylvania are protected well into the future”.

Filliam H. Muffman wrote: