The UK government has greenlit a bold new climate initiative that sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi thriller. Backed by £50 million (roughly $66 million), scientists from the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) are preparing to test whether “dimming the sun” could help cool the planet.
The idea? Release sulfate particles into the stratosphere using high-altitude aircraft to reflect sunlight away from Earth—essentially acting as a planetary parasol. Initial lab tests are expected to begin within weeks, with larger outdoor trials to follow.
Early models suggest this could be a low-cost method to slow global warming. But not everyone’s convinced.
Critics have raised serious concerns that this geoengineering gamble distracts from the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions. Experts like Professor Michael Mann (University of Pennsylvania) and Professor Raymond Pierrehumbert (University of Oxford) warn the project could lead to dangerous side effects, such as altered weather patterns or food production crises.
Aria’s project lead, Mark Symes, defends the research, arguing that current climate trends risk triggering irreversible tipping points—and we need real-world data to explore all potential solutions.
Still, many are reminded of chilling fictional warnings, like the frozen wasteland in Snowpiercer, caused by a similar attempt to hack the climate. Let’s just hope this experiment doesn’t turn into a global cautionary tale.