Bill Gates wants to release massive amounts of chalk into the stratosphere to block the sun – what could go wrong?
03/26/2021 / By Divina Ramirez
Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates is backing the development of a solar geoengineering project to dim the sun with a cloud of chalk. Scientists from Harvard University in Massachusetts who conceptualized the project said the chalk could act as a sunshade, triggering a global cooling effect that would help slow climate change.
The scientists are planning to conduct a small-scale test in June over the town of Kiruna in Sweden, spurred on by financial support from Gates and other private sponsors. A large test balloon will lift there, bringing two kilograms (kg) of calcium bicarbonate and 600 kg of scientific equipment 12 miles into the stratosphere.
Once the balloon reaches its target altitude, it will release the calcium bicarbonate in a plume. If all goes well, it should end up measuring about a mile or two long. Project director Frank Keutsch said the plume would be small enough to not cause a problem in the stratosphere but enough to give them results to work with.
https://www.climate.news/2021-03-26-chalk-stratosphere-combat-climate-change.html#
