Scientists seeded clouds over China’s Muz Taw Glacier; fresh snow cut ice loss by 14% to 17%

This photo taken on Aug. 10, 2026 shows a view of the Muz Taw Glacier in Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Photos: Xinhua net) Researchers in China have tried to make artificial snow over China’s Muz Taw Glacier to slow its melting. The experiment conducted in 2018 involved seeding clouds with silver iodide, which helped trigger snowfall over the glacier. The fresh snow made the surface brighter and was linked to lower mass loss during the short study period.The experiment was carried out on the Muz Taw Glacier in the Sawir Mountains, which lie along the border between China and Kazakhstan, European Geosciences Union reported. The glacier has been shrinking for decades, with its retreat accelerating in recent years. Scientists wanted to test whether adding snow to its surface could reduce the amount of ice lost during the summer melting period.They used silver iodide (AgI) smoke generators to seed clouds. Silver iodide can act as an ice nucleus, helping water vapour in clouds form ice particles that can eventually fall as snow. Researchers used 14 remotely controlled generators powered by solar energy, which had already been installed along rivers near the ...