When it comes to the whole global warming debate, which is primarily political, not scientific, I have not been real concerned over the draconian measures the climahysterics talk about implementing. When the road meets the pavement, most of the chicken littles refuse to change their own lifestyles, barely buy carbon offsets, and nix those measures when they actually would affect themselves. But, when they start talking about measures like they do in this story, that is when I become concerned
Government scientists are studying the feasibility of sending nearly microscopic particles of specially made glass into the Earth’s upper atmosphere to try to dampen the effects of “global warming.” The idea, while “interesting,” said one leading global warming skeptic, is “not practical” and, if done on a large scale, could depress the ozone layer and cause other problems.
Details from documents Cybercast News Service obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C., are conducting limited tests and developing computer models of what might happen if a huge amount of particulate matter is shot into the stratosphere.
The particles, consisting of a very fine and special form of glass – “porous-walled glass microspheres” – would be able to absorb a certain amount of carbon dioxide, and would reflect sunlight away from the Earth.
I am all for scientific research, but, unfortunately, some of it becomes real world solutions, and actually implemented. Except for the Cape Wind Project. Teddy needs his boating area pristine.
We really have no idea what would happen if they move it beyond limited tests and computer models. The climate is the most complex “machine” we know of. Climatologists and meteorologists do not understand it, except small pieces. How the whole thing works? Nope. Weather is a part of climate, and there is a reason that forcasts really go no farther then 10 days out: the models pretty much break down once you hit that 10 day time limit.
They have no idea how the whole system would respond, and the climate is not something you, forgive the word, fuck with. Do you fuck with your car engine? You sorta understand how it works, right? But, does that mean you know enough to start making changes?
This is a dangerous line of research, because then people may want it to be deployed, and we really cannot even come close to predicting what will happen.
Web Reconnaissance for 04/10/2008…
A short recon of whatÂ’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often….
Please correct me if I am wrong, didn’t the government agencies also approve the use of DDT for control of insect populations, CFCs in aerosol cans and refrigeration, and mandate the use of trans-fat to make people healthier? Why wouldn’t you think that by shooting nearly microscopic glass particles into the upper atmosphere would be a good idea? I mean, really… when you think about it, how much damage could it really do? Lefties should be all over this.
Special ground up glass in microscopic sizes (read: inhalable)? Guess they never heard of silicosis. Or maybe the plan is to reduce global warming gasses by eliminating human/terrestrial life on earth.
joated – don’t put it past ’em.
And this is particularly troublesome. I am curious as to exactly what unintended consequences would occur while implementing this solution to a non-existent problem. Its a shame that this global-cooling er.. global warming.. errr.. climate change? yeah.. climate change has taken a life of its own and now every Chicken Little has taken hold of it…. unbelievable…
Yup, they did that with DDT, and, then banned it, and it has caused millions of deaths, at a minimum, in developing countries, particularly in Africa and SE Asia.
Good point, joated. Ground up glass would be, um, bad!
I’d have to look up all the details, Duncan, but, back in the 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s, the US gov’t was running experiments on moderating the effects of hurricanes. On experiment seemed to work well for the USA, but, for Mexico, a larger then normal hurricane was the result.
As the commercial goes, “don’t fool with Mother Nature.”