Originally published on December 21, 2013 <br /><br />Chinese scientists are researching whether releasing a thick layer of cold gas formed by liquid nitrogen into Beijing's smoggy skies could help ameliorate the city's pollution problems, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.<br /><br />Government researchers have proposed pumping liquid nitrogen into the air as a fine mist at least 10 metres above ground. The nitrogen would form a belt of cooler air roughly 20 metres thick that would act as a shield against air pollutants above. Dust and other pollutants in smog would be frozen, crystallized and fall to the ground. A smog-free zone would be created that and would last for several hours.<br /><br />He Hui, a researcher at the government's Beijing Weather Modification Office, told the South China Morning Post that researchers used computer modeling to study how a number of chemical agents can could best help clean the air and found that the liquid nitrogen experiments proved be the most promising. <br /><br />Wang Xinfeng, a researcher in atmospheric chemistry at Shandong University, told the South China Morning Post there were safety issues with using liquid nitrogen.<br /><br />"It is possible in theory to create a smog-free zone with liquid nitrogen and a shield against air pollutants with man-made cold, but even in laboratories we handle liquid nitrogen with care due to its extremely low temperature," Wang said.<br /><br />"The liquid vaporised quickly when exposed to air and even a tiny spill on exposed skin or thin cloth could cause serious cold burns," he added. <br /><br />Wang said that the cooling agent should be released no lower than five floors high and at a very low speed to avoid harming anyone on the ground. <br /><br />He Hui also noted that small shifts in wind patterns could have unknown effects on the results of the computer simulations.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look
