Acid with Guillaume Canet: Does Acid Rain Really Exist?

In Just Philippot’s film, Acid, a climatic disaster threatens the entire country: acid rain. They destroy the environment, materials, kill animals, and even destroy people, which on contact resemble real zombies.

As in his previous feature film, La Nuée, Just Philippot mixes ecology with horror. If the concept of Acid itself refers to the genre of science fiction, the reality is not far off. Acid rain exists. It is a scientific fact.

Don’t worry: Residents aren’t in danger of having their skin melt away in front of them. These rains are not dangerous for humans, they are still dangerous for the environment and animals.

To understand such a phenomenon, we must answer the most important question: what is its origin? Acid rain is a result of air pollution. Human activity – factories, automobile engines, etc. – produces, among other things, two gases: sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). They create acid rain.

Danger to the environment

When these gases come into contact with water and oxygen, they form sulfuric acids. Rain is considered acidic when its pH is abnormally low. Generally speaking, pH ranges from 0 to 14 on the scale. At 7, the substance is considered neutral. However, if the pH is equal to or less than 5.6, the substance is considered acidic.

The term “acid rain” is a phenomenon that can take different forms: fog, snow, hail. As the film Just Philippot explains, the consequences for the environment are dramatic. These rains damage lakes, rivers, forests, fish and other wildlife, but also attack buildings and monuments.

Acid rain is happening all over the world, but Canada has made it one of its environmental priorities. This is not a recent phenomenon, as the first observations date back to the 19th century.

Aide by Just Philippot is currently in theaters.