From "How We Survive": How to Dim the Sun

From "How We Survive": How to Dim the Sun

From Make Me Smart by Marketplace

May 29, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

The episode explores the controversial idea of solar geoengineering through sulfur dioxide injection to combat climate change.

Could dimming the sun be the key to cooling things down before the climate crisis worsens? Some scientists say yes, that we can cool the earth by launching tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. It’s a type of solar geoengineering that was once seen as preposterous, meant to exist only in the pages of a sci-fi novel. But now, it’s a reality. To find out for ourselves, we travel to Northern California where two entrepreneurs are launching sulfur-filled balloons from the top of stacked shipping containers. Later, we talk with scientists on both sides of this issue to find out if solar geoengineering could help prevent catastrophic tipping points or introduce a whole new slew of cascading consequences.

People in this episode

Host: Marketplace

Topics covered

  • climate crisis
  • solar geoengineering
  • sulfur dioxide
  • environmental science
  • tipping points

Keywords

  • climate crisis
  • solar geoengineering
  • sulfur dioxide
  • Northern California
  • environmental impact

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Marketplace

Places: Northern California

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