Nature Podcast Audio long read: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky
May 30, 2025
Discover groundbreaking methods for cooling the Earth, including a US initiative that adds antacid to the ocean. Delve into an Atlantic experiment aimed at boosting carbon absorption, while examining the financial hurdles and political challenges affecting carbon removal technologies. Learn about innovative carbon uptake strategies in agriculture, featuring a Stanford initiative that leverages silicon minerals. The discussion also highlights Europe's essential approach to achieving net zero emissions, stressing the importance of immediate reductions over reliance on carbon removal.
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Loch Ness Ocean Experiment
- Scientists will pour an antacid solution into the ocean to increase its CO2 absorption.
- The $10 million Loch Ness project tests ocean-based carbon removal to reverse global warming.
Forest vs. Industrial Capture
- Growing forests is the cheapest carbon removal method but not permanent due to logging and fires.
- Industrial direct air capture is most costly but offers permanence and growing project scale.
Direct Air Capture Challenges
- The largest direct air capture plants are being built in Texas and Louisiana to bury CO2 underground.
- Political shifts under Trump risk disrupting funding and viability of major US carbon capture projects.