Manifold Andrew Song: Global Cooling with Sulfur Dioxide in the Stratosphere — #91
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Jul 31, 2025 Andrew Song, co-founder of Make Sunsets, is pioneering climate solutions through innovative solar geoengineering. He explains how his company launches biodegradable balloons filled with sulfur dioxide to cool the Earth, mirroring natural volcanic effects. The conversation dives into the science behind this technology, addressing environmental concerns and public skepticism. Andrew also shares insights from his Y Combinator experience and the challenges of navigating funding and climate modeling complexities in their mission to combat climate change.
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Andrew's Swimming Background
- Andrew Song was a competitive breaststroke swimmer at NYU and used his technique to overcome height disadvantages.
- His swimming background influenced his disciplined approach to tough problems.
From Economics to Tech Startups
- Andrew worked as an economic consultant calculating damages in catastrophic events.
- He became disillusioned putting monetary values on human lives and shifted to tech startups.
Mimicking Volcano Cooling Effect
- Volcanoes naturally inject sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, cooling Earth for 1-3 years.
- Make Sunsets mimics this natural process to reflect sunlight and cool the planet safely.
