The moon has been humans’ companion for as long as we have walked the earth.
But can the faithful space rock help us tackle one of our biggest challenges?
A group of researchers at the American University of Utah believes so.
They propose using the moon to slow global warming on Earth.
THE SUN: This is what the sun looks like when it is covered by the moon. Scientists believe lunar dust can protect the earth from the hot rays of the sun. Photo: Tony O’Brien.
Moon cannons
Suggestion can seem whimsical.
Namely, it involves building large cannons, and shooting dust, gravel and rock from the surface of the moon into space.
The idea is that this lunar dust will block rays from the sun, sending them in a different direction.
The lunar dust will act as a kind of protective “solar shield” around the earth, preventing global warming from continuing too quickly.
The case is discussed in, among others The Guardian and Washington Post.
– Natural lunar dust grains have just the right size and composition to efficiently scatter sunlight away from the earth, says research leader Ben Bromley, according to The Guardian.
ICONIC: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon in 1969. Will mining be a future project on the space rock? Photo: Reuters.
The researchers believe that doing this from the moon, and not the earth, would have done less damage to the atmosphere.
Science fiction
Realizing this crazy idea is admittedly no easy task.
Not only would one have had to build and place the big cannons on the moon.
Millions of tons of lunar dust had to be extracted and launched into space every year.
A new space station also had to be built, according to the researchers.
Bromley and his colleagues acknowledge that the idea is closer to science fiction than reality.
MOON DUST: The moon has the perfect dust for such a project, the researchers believe. Photo: Danny Lawson
Nevertheless, they believe it is important to think broadly about how we can solve the climate challenges we face.
– Nothing should distract us from cutting greenhouse gas emissions here on earth. But we should explore all possibilities, in case we need more time to sort things out here at home, says Bromley.
Climate scientists warn
According to The Guardian, proposals that involve tampering with the Earth’s climate, including blocking sunlight, are considered controversial among climate scientists.
Nevertheless, action is being taken in the area.
On the eve of last year, the US government launched a major research project with a focus on just such “climate engineering”.
Many climate scientists nevertheless warn against giving such ideas too much focus. Including ideas about the moon cannon and sun shield.
KLIMAGASS: Smoke rises from a factory in Finland. The climate scientists believe that we must not allow ourselves to be distracted by bizarre proposals related to climate challenges. They believe the focus must be on cutting emissions. Photo: Oliver Morin/AFP.
– Mining on the moon or near-Earth asteroids in order to block some of the sunlight is no solution to the ongoing and growing climate crisis.
That’s what Frank Biermann, professor of sustainability policy at the University of Utrecht, says, according to The Guardian.
