Unsolved:Fogvid-24

Fogvid-24 is a social-media conspiracy theory alleging that unusual winter fog in late 2024 and early 2025 was toxic or engineered—variously described as a chemical or biological weapon, "smart dust," or a cover for hidden activity—and that it caused clusters of flu-like symptoms. The term Fogvid-24 was popularised on platforms such as TikTok and X during a period of widespread fog in North America and the United Kingdom. Fact-checkers and meteorologists attributed the reports to ordinary foggy conditions, seasonal respiratory illness, and misinterpretation of visual effects under lights, noting there is no evidence that the fog was engineered or that it contained harmful agents.

Background

In late December 2024, dense fog and freezing fog were widely reported in parts of the United States and the United Kingdom, disrupting transport and prompting routine advisories. During the same period, posts and short videos circulated claiming the fog was unusually thick, smelled "chemical," or left people unwell shortly after exposure; commenters began referring to the phenomenon as Fogvid-24.

Claims

Claim	Summary and evidence
Chemical or biological weapon	Assertions that the fog was a deliberate release making people ill. Coverage of the online rumours and clips that spawned the label "Fogvid-24" is documented by digital outlets noting social-media posts alleging chemical fog and illness.
"Smart dust"/nano-agents and drones	Claims that the fog carried surveillance or control particles (so-called "smart dust") and that drones observed in videos were deploying such agents; technology-and-culture coverage summarized these narratives and showed how drone sightings were linked to the rumours.
Historical analogies to U.S. biological tests	Online posts referenced historical open-air tests (notably Operation Sea-Spray)—used by some to argue governments have precedent for dispersing microbes—while historians and reporting note that historical tests do not substantiate contemporary engineered-fog claims.
Bacterial contamination (Serratia marcescens)	Rumours circulated that local fog samples (e.g., in Florida) tested positive for Serratia marcescens; reporting and fact-checks indicate such claims lacked verifiable laboratory documentation and were amplified on social platforms.

Responses and expert commentary

Meteorologists and public-health communicators state there is no evidence that the fog was engineered or toxic, and that winter fog is expected under certain synoptic conditions (e.g., high humidity at or near the dew point, light winds, temperature inversions). Commentaries also note that shining bright lights into fog makes water droplets and other airborne particles more visible, which can be misinterpreted as unusual "large particles". Agencies have previously clarified limits of weather modification and debunked claims that routine technologies can create or steer widespread events.

Media coverage and online spread

Coverage by national and digital outlets traced the rise of Fogvid-24 narratives from late December 2024, highlighting typical themes—bioweapons, drones, "smart dust"—and documenting official explanations and routine advisories. Podcasts and explainers from meteorologists also addressed the rumours and reviewed likely meteorological setups for the fog.

Historical references used in narratives

Advocates often cite mid-20th-century U.S. open-air biological tests as precedent. In 1950, the U.S. Navy conducted Operation Sea-Spray, dispersing Serratia marcescens over the San Francisco area to study vulnerability to attack—a programme now widely criticised. Historians and health authorities caution, however, that such history does not evidence contemporary engineered fog events.

See also

• Weather modification
• Chemtrail conspiracy theory
• Mass psychogenic illness
• Conspiracy theories

External links

• "Fact check: Debunking weather modification claims". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 23 October 2024. https://www.noaa.gov/news/fact-check-debunking-weather-modification-claims.