Hugging a cloud sounds like the start of a magical tale! Imagine being able to touch and hug a cloud. It’s a fictional thought, but clouds are just masses of tiny water droplets or ice crystals. If we could hold one, it would feel like a misty, damp embrace.
A video has recently gone viral on social media, from an industrial area of Indonesia. In the footage, workers are seen going about their daily tasks under a grey and cloudy sky when, all of a sudden, a bizarre event happens. A white, cloud-like substance begins to descend from the sky, causing a stir of excitement among the workers and everyone present. The workers rush towards this peculiar object, trying to embrace and hug what they believe to be a fallen cloud. For a moment, the scene looks like an animated movie, evoking childlike joy.
However, the excitement is only short-lived. As the workers move near it, becomes clear that it is not a cloud at all. Instead, it is a foam-like material that only looks like a cloud. The excitement quickly turned into disappointment and confusion as the reality was revealed. The workers, who had eagerly hugged and touched what they believed to be a piece of the sky, looked visibly disappointed to discover that it was just foam. “A few people in “Adaro Energy” uniforms can also be seen watching the object fly up close. Before long, the so-called Kinton cloud falls and touches the ground, still intact”, said kompas.com a local news agency
Generative Image : Canva
Local authorities concluded that the foam-like substance was most likely created due to the condensation of pollutants in the surrounding industrial and mining areas. The combination of these pollutants, carried by the wind and the moisture in the air, likely led to the formation of this cloud-like foam. This explanation was also scientifically correct, highlighting the impact of industrial activities on the environment.
The viral video attracted a bunch of comments, with viewers expressing a range of emotions from amusement to concern. Some were entertained by the workers’ reactions, some also compared it to the anime character, Goku’s Cloud referring to how the popular character often rides the puff of the cloud. Others, however, were concerned about the environmental implications of the foam, considering it as a reminder of the pollution issues faced by industrial regions
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A similar toxic foam is oftenly seen on the Yamuna river in Delhi, caused due to high levels of pollution including untreated sewage, industrial waste, and chemical runoff from industries. This becomes more prominent in the monsoon season when the rivers flow is disrupted. These pollutants contain phosphates and surfactants that reduce the surface tension of the water, which consequently leads to froth.
What are clouds composed of?
Clouds are naturally created in the atmosphere by the condensation of hot air and gases. It consists of droplets of water or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. These droplets and crystals occur when air rises, cools down, and condenses around the tiny particles including dust, salt, and smoke suspended in it.
Is it really possible to hug a cloud?
While it may sound very fascinating, hugging a cloud cannot be possible in reality. If you try to hug one, you are likely to just pass through it because they are made of just tiny water droplets and mist and end up getting a bit damp. The sensation might be similar to just walking past mist or a thick layer of fog, which is cloud at ground level. It can be quite similar to feeling moisture on your skin and in the air.
