We can safely experiment on reflecting sunlight away from Earth. Here's how | Dakota Gruener and Daniele Visioni

The world's worst-case scenario seems increasingly plausible: catastrophic warming, devastating ecosystems, and a desperate quest to find a solution. Scientists now propose reflecting a fraction of incoming sunlight as the only feasible way to cool the planet, a concept first proposed in 1965 by Lyndon B Johnson's science advisers. Raising Earth's natural heat shield could reduce global temperatures by around 0.1C, but how?

The idea is rooted in the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, which cooled the planet by about 0.5C after releasing massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. This natural experiment led to the development of a concept known as stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), which models suggest could offset 1C of warming using around 12m tonnes of SO2 annually. However, this approach raises significant concerns about risks and potential misuse.

In order for SAI to be used safely and effectively, research must be conducted to understand its effects on the environment and ecosystems. Careful, open studies can clarify whether a well-governed approach could reduce harm, particularly for vulnerable populations. The risks of misuse mean that research should not be dismissed outright. Instead, scientists propose a phased clinical trial-style approach to SAI, with lab work, computer models, and small-scale outdoor experiments designed to test key assumptions.

Phase one involves releasing tiny amounts of SO2 into the stratosphere to study how aerosols form, evolve, and disperse. This would be done in conjunction with instruments like aircraft, ground-based stations, and satellites to measure the effects accurately. Comparing these observations to model predictions would offer early insights into where current projections are robust and where they need refinement.

Phase two experiments could involve larger amounts of SO2 being released to study how aerosols mix and distribute. These tests would aim to identify key uncertainties in our understanding of SAI, as well as detect any unauthorized deployments. The observational capabilities required for these tests would also be critical in monitoring the effects of SAI on climate patterns.

A hypothetical phase three trial could involve small, deliberate cooling over five years under constant observation and strict oversight. If successful, this approach could provide a framework for policymakers to make informed decisions about SAI use. However, building confidence in this technology requires real-world evidence, transparently generated before any crisis forces action.

Several initiatives are underway to develop the tools, rules, and oversight mechanisms necessary for responsible research on SAI. The UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) program is a notable example. Researchers, scientists, and organizations like Reflective are working together to accelerate the pace of sunlight reflection studies and ensure transparency and accountability in the field.

Ultimately, conducting outdoor research on SAI is not a slippery slope; it's a necessary step towards informed decision-making about this potentially game-changing technology. By investing in open science and careful experimentation, we can reduce both scientific uncertainties and political risks, while ensuring that any future decisions are based on facts rather than fear or wishful thinking.

scientists say reflecting sunlight could cool the planet by 0.1C but how? ️
they think about mount pinatubo eruption in 1991 which cooled the earth by 0.5C after releasing sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere... sounds like a good idea

Reflecting sunlight back into space might be our only hope to avoid catastrophic warming . Scientists think it could reduce temps by 0.1C, but we need more research & caution before moving forward . Let's not rush into this – small-scale trials are the way forward .

OMG , I'm low-key obsessed with the idea of reflecting sunlight to cool the planet! Like, 0.1C is a start, right? It's crazy how scientists went from "this sounds crazy" in 1965 to "this might just work" now. Phase one, phase two, and potentially even phase three trials are all about testing the limits, but let's be real, we can't afford any more messing around .

The Mount Pinatubo eruption was like a natural experiment, and I'm living for how it led to this concept! The risks are legit tho - we gotta keep an eye on those aerosol injections . But the good news is that researchers are getting together to make sure this thing goes down smoothly .

It's all about transparency and accountability now , and I'm here for it. We need open science like NOW . It's time to put our faith in facts rather than fear or wishful thinking . Bring on the sunlight reflection trials - let's see if this can be the game-changer we need !

I'm totally lost about how this SAI thing is gonna work I mean, scientists have been talking about it for ages, but now we're actually talking about testing it out in real life? That's like playing with fire or something... How are they supposed to test it without messing up the whole planet ?

I don't get why it's so hard to agree on this stuff . Like, we know climate change is a thing, but now we're talking about actually doing something about it? It sounds like a bunch of risk vs reward

But hey, if anyone can make this work, it's gotta be those smart people at Aria and Reflective Who's behind all this and what's the plan exactly?

so scientists wanna reflect some sunlight to cool the planet and I'm like "okay why not"? it's about time we try something crazy since inaction is just gonna make things worse a fraction of 0.1C might not sound like much but every little bit counts, right? we need to get this research thing going ASAP so we can figure out the risks and potential misuse before it becomes a hot mess

I'm getting really worried about the state of our planet. Reflecting sunlight as a way to cool it down is like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but I guess it's worth exploring. I mean, we've seen natural disasters like Mount Pinatubo and it had an impact on global temperatures, so maybe this isn't such a crazy idea after all.

But yeah, the risks are definitely there and we need to make sure we're doing this safely and responsibly. We can't just rush into something without thinking about the potential consequences, especially for vulnerable populations. It's not like we haven't learned from past mistakes - remember Chernobyl?

So, let's get on board with phase one of the research and see where it takes us. I'd love to see more transparency and accountability in this field too. We need scientists, researchers, and policymakers working together to make sure we're making informed decisions about our planet's future. It's time to wake up and take action!

I was just thinking about my friend's garden and how they've been trying to find a way to keep their tomatoes from getting too much sun. I mean, who hasn't had that problem? They were talking about using some sort of shade cloth or something, but I told them it might not be the most effective solution... did you know that there's actually a type of coral that can survive in full sun and produce these amazing, glow-in-the-dark corals? It's like nature's own LED lights! Anyway, back to this SAI thing... it's just crazy to think about reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. What if we could use that technology to create some kind of sustainable, eco-friendly lighting system for outdoor spaces? That would be pretty awesome, right?

This climate crisis is getting super scary, but scientists are trying to find a way out Reflecting sunlight could be the key ️ and it's not as crazy as it sounds It's like when I put on sunscreen during summer – we need a global shield from the sun Research is super important to make sure it works safely and doesn't harm anyone But, let's be real it's hard to trust the system so more transparency and accountability are needed

the idea of reflecting sunlight onto earth is either a genius solution or a recipe for disaster its like playing with fire gotta make sure we get it right before we proceed scientists need to step up their game and provide solid evidence not just theoretical models or computer simulations we can't afford to have our hopes pinned on a technology that might work but also risks massive unintended consequences

I'm getting really concerned about the state of our planet . This idea of reflecting sunlight as a solution to global warming is pretty interesting, but I think we need to be super careful before we start testing it out in real life . The risks and potential misuse are huge, so we can't just ignore them or rush into anything. We need more research, like the scientists propose with these phased trials . It's not a silver bullet, but if we do this right, it could be a game-changer . And I love how researchers and organizations are working together to make sure we're doing this responsibly . We can't afford to wait until it's too late .

I'm not sure I agree with the idea of reflecting sunlight as a solution to global warming... But at the same time, what other options do we have? It's crazy to think that scientists only proposed this concept back in 1965! That's a long time ago... Maybe we're running out of other ideas.

I'm concerned about the risks and potential misuse, though. We can't just ignore those concerns without doing more research first But on the other hand, not doing anything at all might be even worse... I guess that's why they're proposing a phased approach with lab work, computer models, and small-scale outdoor experiments. That sounds like a good starting point.

I don't know if a hypothetical phase three trial would be enough to build confidence in this technology, though But at the same time, we need something more than just theoretical modeling to make sure it's safe and effective. It's a bit of a Catch-22 situation...

the more i read about this idea the more i'm like "are we really considering this as an option? 12m tonnes of so2 released into the stratosphere? sounds like a recipe for disaster not to mention all the untested variables and potential side effects...and what's with the 'clinical trial-style approach'? isn't that just a fancy way of saying 'we're gonna try it out in small batches until something goes wrong'? gotta think twice about this one before we start playing with the earth's thermostat

This whole thing is kinda blown outta proportion . People freaking out about catastrophic warming? Yeah, I get it, it's bad news, but let's not jump to conclusions just yet . The scientists are actually proposing a pretty cool (pun intended) idea – reflect some of that sunlight back into space . It's like a natural air conditioner for the Earth!

I think it's awesome that they're suggesting this as an option. I mean, we need to find a solution to this problem ASAP . And if it means testing out some new tech and seeing what happens , then so be it! The risks are valid, but let's not dismiss the whole idea just because of that .

I love how they're proposing this phased approach – start small, test, refine, repeat . It's like a scientific experiment, which is exactly what we need right now . And hey, if it means making sure the tech is safe and effective before deploying it on a global scale , then I'm all for it!

OMG, I'm literally freaking out just thinking about the possibilities of cooling down the planet like this I mean, I've always been a bit of a doomsday prepper, but even I didn't think it'd come to this. The idea of injecting sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere is wild, and I'm both fascinated and terrified by it

I'm all for doing some research and testing this out ASAP, as long as it's done in a safe and controlled way . I mean, we can't just start spraying stuff into the air without knowing what the consequences are . But at the same time, if it could potentially save us from some kind of global catastrophe... I'd be totally on board

It's crazy to think about how much science and technology has come together in just a few decades to address this kind of problem . And the fact that there are initiatives like Aria and Reflective working on this stuff is amazing . Let's hope we can get it right and make some progress before it's too late

I'm totally down with the idea of reflecting sunlight to cool the planet, but only if it's done really carefully... I mean, not too much, just a little bit. And we should totally be testing this in a controlled environment first, maybe like a big lab or something, before we start messing around with the actual atmosphere. But at the same time, isn't it crazy that scientists are only now proposing this idea after 60 years? What were they thinking back then?

And yeah, I'm all for a phased approach to testing SAI, but how long do you think that's going to take? We need some kind of timeline or deadline for when we can start deploying this technology and actually making a difference. And what about the costs? Are we talking billions of dollars here?

But you know what's even more worrying than the risks and concerns around SAI? The fact that scientists are only now getting together to discuss and regulate this technology... seems like we should've been doing that 50 years ago!

I'm not sure I buy into this whole SAI thing just yet . I mean, it sounds like a band-aid solution for climate change, but what's the long game here? How do we know that releasing tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere won't have unintended consequences on air quality or other environmental factors?

And what about the logistics of implementing this? We're talking about deploying massive amounts of SO2 into the atmosphere on a global scale. Who's gonna oversee this, and how are they gonna prevent it from being used for nefarious purposes?

I'd love to see some more concrete evidence before I get on board with this idea. Can we please have some real-world testing and monitoring before we start talking about deploying SAI on a massive scale?

I'm totally stoked about the idea of SAI . Like, it's crazy to think that scientists have been working on this concept since 1965, and now they're finally getting serious about testing it out. I mean, we're talking about potentially saving our planet here .

But for real, the risks and uncertainties are huge . We need to make sure that any research is done with super careful consideration of the potential consequences. It's all about finding a balance between making progress and being responsible .

I love how they're proposing this phased clinical trial-style approach – it's like, totally scientific and transparent . And I'm so down for initiatives like Aria and Reflective that are working to develop the tools and rules needed for responsible research. It's all about open science and collaboration .

We need to keep pushing forward with these kinds of conversations and developments, even when it gets tough . The future is worth fighting for, and I'm excited to see what we can achieve together .

I mean, it's not like we haven't been warned about this stuff for decades, but still... 1965? That's like, ancient science history at this point . But seriously, if reflecting sunlight could actually help with global warming, that's a pretty interesting idea . The thing is, it's not as simple as just spraying some SO2 in the air and voilà, climate saved . There are legit concerns about risks and misuse, which makes sense, given how easily things can go wrong.

I'm kinda stoked to see that people like Reflective are on top of this stuff, trying to figure out ways to make it work without causing more harm . Phase one, phase two... sounds like a legit scientific approach to me . I just hope we don't end up doing some crazy experiment that's gonna ruin the planet . But hey, at least we're having this conversation, right?

so what do you think about this idea to reflect some of the sun's rays back into space? it seems like a pretty drastic measure but at the same time kinda makes sense - we're already talking about catastrophic warming and all that... but the thing is, scientists are warning us that if we don't get it right, this could be used in some really bad ways. so yeah, gotta do some serious research and testing before we start playing with fire here.