Researchers have an idea to cool our planet

Researchers are constantly looking for ways to fight against global warming, which in recent years has become a major threat to the planet. There are many ideas to fight against climate change, to name only the development of machines to capture carbon or the enveloping of glaciers with giant blankets.

Atmospheric scientists recently found another way to cool the Earth. It’s about creating whiter clouds, able to reflect more sunlight. Spotted for the first time by Interesting Engineering, the project is based on a theoretical geoengineering method called Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB).

The theory is that by being whiter and brighter, clouds can reflect more light. The latter will thus be sent back far from the Earth into space and this will theoretically lower the temperature of our planet.

What does the MCB consist of?

The Marine Cloud Brightening initiative was created by an association of researchers from the University of Washington, the Palo Alto Research Center and the Pacific Northwest National Library. According to a University of Washington blog post, this is an open, international collaboration of atmospheric scientists. These researchers are studying the possibility of using the lightening of marine clouds to help cool the Earth.

The project consists of three phases focused on the development of spray technology. The latter will send microscopic particles of seawater into the sky, which will lighten the clouds below. To ensure that the technology has no repercussions on the atmosphere, each phase will be monitored by independent authorities.

The feasibility of the project

According to the team, the success of the project will help cool the atmosphere enough to save time in order to save the planet from climate change.

However, even if the initiative seems very promising, geoengineering is still currently a subject of debate within the public and scientific communities.

In any case, the drastic reduction in carbon emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels remains for the moment the best way to fight against global warming.