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"They would weigh a gram each, be launched in stacks of 800,000, and remain for a projected lifetime of 50 years within a 100,000-km-long cloud. The concept bui
by spenrose 9y ago
"They would weigh a gram each, be launched in stacks of 800,000, and remain for a projected lifetime of 50 years within a 100,000-km-long cloud. The concept builds on existing technologies. It seems feasible that it could be developed and deployed in ≈25 years at a cost of a few trillion dollars, <0.5% of world gross domestic product (GDP) over that time."
Oh FFS. If we have a few $trillion to devote to global warming, we can enormously reduce it using known technologies.
There is an important clue in this spectacular self-own to the emotional allegiances of the people who get excited about ideas such as this one.
- devrandomguy 9y agoIf I was given a few $trillion to solve atmospheric CO2/CH4, I would move mining to the moon, and move manufacturing and agriculture into orbit. Then smother the Earth-side economy with cheap/free stuff to discourage the remaining entrenched industry, and offer habitat space to anyone who prefers doing physical work for a living, over living in a highly regulated paradise on UBI + patreon. For perspective, Gerard K. O'Neil gave a ballpark estimate of $31B (correction: $31B in 1972 dollars, $172B in 2013 dollars) for a v1 O'Neil cylinder made of steel. http://www.nss.org/settlement/physicstoday.htm http://www.nss.org/settlement/physicstoday.htm
- sliken 9y agoHow about just invest in a solar powered way to make something useful from CO2 in the atmosphere. Like say a brick. We could make roads and buildings out of it.