Earth is warming, and the effects are clearly visible as extreme weather event become more intense and frequent. Scientists across the world looking for ways to cool the planet as it hits the tipping point.
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters suggests that injecting diamond dust into the atmosphere could be an effective method to cool the planet.
A multi-institutional team of climatologists, meteorologists, and Earth scientists used advanced 3D climate models to compare various aerosols that might be used to combat global warming.
As Earth approaches a critical tipping point in climate change, researchers are exploring innovative solutions to actively cool the planet.
Diamond dust is chemically inert. (Photo: Getty)
While carbon capture technologies have been proposed, the team argues that if a tipping point has been reached, more drastic measures may be necessary to reflect sunlight and heat back into space. The study evaluated seven different materials, including calcite, aluminum, silicon carbide, and sulfur dioxide.
Surprisingly, diamond dust emerged as the most promising option. The researchers found that diamond particles would reflect the most light and heat, remain airborne for an optimal duration, and be unlikely to clump together in the atmosphere.
Unlike sulfur dioxide, which is currently considered a leading candidate for atmospheric injection but risks causing acid rain and ozone depletion, diamond dust is chemically inert.
This property significantly reduces the likelihood of harmful environmental side effects.
The climate models suggest that annually injecting 5 million tons of synthetic diamond dust into the atmosphere could potentially cool the Earth by 1.6°C over 45 years.
However, the researchers acknowledge a major drawback: the astronomical cost. Implementing this solution would require an estimated investment of $200 trillion.
While the diamond dust proposal offers a novel approach to combating climate change, it also highlights the complexity and potential expense of geoengineering solutions.