ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chemtrail conspiracy theory

Chemtrail conspiracy theory is a belief that chemicals or biological agents are deliberately and secretly released from aircrafts high in the sky in order to either control or manipulate the population in some way. People who believe in this theory think that these chemicals and agents are harmful to human health and the environment, and that certain governments, often the U.S. government, are behind these efforts. Those who believe in this conspiracy often point to the long, white streaks in the sky left by jets as ‘evidence’ of the chemtrails. In reality, the long, white streaks in the sky high above us are just condensation trails, or ‘contrails’, formed when jets fly through the air and their engines cool the air left behind them, making the water in the air turn into tiny ice crystals. These trails often last for a long time, and tend to stretch out or ‘fan’ in the sky due to changes in wind speed or direction at different heights, which is why some people think they might be something else. However, there is no scientific evidence that governments are deliberately spraying anything harmful into the air from planes.