Arizona water conspiracy theories will flow, experts warn
The driest grounds California ever experienced were perfectly fertile for conspiracy theories. The state was in the midst of its worst water crisis in over 1,200 years … Fear, anger and conspiracy beliefs were flowing in California when water wasn’t. The debunked “chemtrail” conspiracy theory was searched more in the state, and the nation as a whole, during the midst of the water cuts when compared to any other time before or after, Google Trends data shows. Arizona may be headed in the same direction. Researchers who study conspiracy theories said the state is ripe for new water-based misinformation to spread as the Southwest U.S. water crisis worsens. Those researchers also said understanding three reasons behind why the beliefs spread may be the key to preventing them.