Thursday 15 October 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
88%
How to read the score
It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
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TopicAllPoliticsConflict & SecurityBusinessScienceHealth
01ScienceAsia-Pacific

Indonesia turns to dry ice as fire haze spreads

Reporting describes a planned airborne dry-ice trial, but provides no evidence yet that it will clear the haze.

The BBC and Guardian report that Indonesia is turning to dry ice to tackle haze from fires. The Guardian describes a pilot project dispersing dry ice by plane over South Sumatra after other measures were tried. Separate BBC coverage describes orange smog in Palangka Raya and accusations against companies over land burning.

What holds up

  • ✓Both outlets report fires and haze in Indonesia and a dry-ice response.
  • ✓The Guardian identifies South Sumatra as the pilot location; the BBC separately reports visible smog in Palangka Raya.

What doesn't yet

  • ?The supplied items contain no measurements demonstrating the dry-ice intervention's effectiveness or safety.
  • ?Accusations against companies are reported without supporting records or company responses in the summaries.

Ask before you share

  • →What measurements will establish whether the trial reduces pollution?
  • →What evidence identifies those responsible for the fires?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]BBC News · Published 15 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  2. [2]BBC News · Published 15 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  3. [3]BBC News · Published 13 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  4. [4]The Guardian · Published 15 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com