Friday 16 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
87%
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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01ScienceAsia-Pacific

Indonesia turns to dry ice as wildfire haze spreads

Two outlets report an attempt to tackle smoke with dry ice, but neither supplied extract demonstrates that it works.

The BBC and the Guardian report Indonesia turning to dry ice to tackle haze from fires. The Guardian describes a pilot project to disperse dry ice by plane over South Sumatra after attempts involving cloud seeding and water bombing. Separate BBC reporting describes orange smog in Palangka Raya near continuing wildfires.

What holds up

  • ✓BBC and Guardian reporting corroborates the use or planned use of dry ice against Indonesia's fire-related haze.
  • ✓Both outlets describe smoke affecting the wider region, while the BBC also reports visible smog in Palangka Raya.

What doesn't yet

  • ?The Guardian describes a pilot that will disperse dry ice, while the BBC headline implies activity is already under way; the exact operational stage is unclear.
  • ?The extracts provide no measured reduction in pollution or evidence of the intervention's effectiveness.

Ask before you share

  • →Has the pilot begun, and what results have been measured?
  • →Are air-quality readings improving independently of changes in wind or rainfall?

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]The Guardian · Published 15 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com