Humans have found it hard to quit fossil fuels, which is why some argue that we’ll soon need to start geoengineering — that is, modifying the atmosphere to prevent catastrophic warming of the planet. The practice is controversial. Some argue it’s the only solution given that we’ve waited too long to reduce carbon emissions. Others say we shouldn’t be running two uncontrolled experiments on the Earth’s climate (the first being the global burning of fossil fuels). That hasn’t stopped people from trying. And one approach championed by Make Sunsets has drawn the attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The startup is basically two guys from Silicon Valley who have been releasing weather balloons filled with hydrogen gas and sulfur dioxide particles. When the balloon floats somewhere past 66,000 feet in altitude, it bursts and releases the sulfur dioxide, which scatter and reflect sunlight, cooling the Earth a tiny bit. The company sells “cooling credits” based on how much estimated warming each balloon release negates. Make Sunsets has raised $750,000, according to PitchBook, and the startup says its investors include Boost VC, Draper Associates, and Pioneer Fund. Neither founder is a scientist, but the science behind sulfur dioxide and solar reflectivity is sound. Humans accidentally proved the importance of sulfur dioxide in global albedo — the average reflectivity of the Earth’s surface — when they slashed the sulfur content of marine shipping fuels in 2020; one prominent climate scientist has argued in favor of the practice. Still, given the complexity of the global climate, it’s not clear what other effects the practice might have. It might seed rainstorms in one region while depriving other areas of rain. Several scientists have urged caution. Plus, if sulfur dioxide particles drift closer to ground, they could aggravate people’s asthma and cause other respiratory problems. Here, the EPA takes issue with Make Sunsets’ approach to geoengineering. Sulf...
First seen: 2025-04-18 15:17
Last seen: 2025-04-20 16:25