Could we create an atmospheric sun shield to halt the effects of global warming? Should we? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and Gary O’Reilly are joined by climate scientist Daniele Visioni and sociologist Holly Jean Buck to explore the science and ethics of deliberately altering Earth’s climate.
Is geoengineering science fiction, or the future of climate intervention? We explore volcanic eruptions, aerosols, and the surprising climate lessons we’ve learned from nature. Daniele breaks down how particles in the stratosphere can reflect sunlight, potentially cooling the planet. But can we scale it safely? From acid rain chemistry to the risks of unintended consequences, we examine what happens when we try to alter the stratosphere.
Later, Holly Jean Buck joins to explore the human and geopolitical dimensions. Can climate technologies be fair, equitable, and democratic? From carbon removal to ocean fertilization and nuclear energy, the team weighs the pros, cons, and public perception of large-scale solutions. Along the way, they tackle misinformation, global cooperation, and the question: if we build climate control, who controls the climate?
Thanks to our Patrons S Harder, Evalange, Pat Z., Victoria Hamlin, Jacob Silverman, Lucia Leber, The Fabulous Mr Fox, Meghan Lynch, Gligom, Joe Ingracia, Physche, Jeremy Astin, ThizzRyuko, KK, Justin Costa, Little Blue Heron, Andrew Sparks, Patrick, Austin Becker, Daniel Tedman, Enrique Vega, Arrun Gibson, GSC, Jim Minthorne, Hayden Upton, Bob Loesch, J Mike, TreesSway, Mitchell Joseph, Griffin Stolp, Eric Sundberg, Jeff Bombard, Serenella Argueta, Jack Hatfield, lindsey, Cake Bytes, SuperVedos, C.Spinos, Audrey Anane, Jim B, Frederic R. Merchant, C., Curry Bäckström, Rory Cardin, nathan morrow, Harinath Reddy K, Joel Campbell, tia tia, Tyler Hanes, Joan Lozier, MythFinder, Big_Gorem_Hero, Kirk Zeigler, and Daysha Denight for supporting us this week.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: Daniele Visioni
03:08 – Geoengineering & Learning from Volcanoes
06:29 – What is an Aerosol?
9:22 – Using Aerosols to Mask Global Warming
14:00 – Polluting the Stratosphere
23:18 – The Unintended Consequences
30:30 – Getting People to Agree to This
35:37 – Introduction: Holly Jean Buck
37:29 – Carbon Removal, Plankton Blooms, & Other Ideas
44:59 – Societal Consequences
47:20 – How Do We Implement
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
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