Stardust Solutions Publishes $75 Million Plan for Cooling Particles as Geoengineering Nears Testing
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 14
Stardust Solutions Publishes $75 Million Plan for Cooling Particles as Geoengineering Nears Testing
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 14
Stardust Solutions on Thursday disclosed the chemical makeup of particles it says could be dispersed high in the atmosphere to reflect sunlight and cool the planet.
The Israeli startup said its research also outlines how the material would behave in the atmosphere and how high-flying aircraft could spread it, moving a once-speculative geoengineering concept closer to practical testing.
Founded in 2023, the privately held company has raised $75 million, applied for a patent and is submitting the work to scientific journals for peer review.
Chief executive Yanai Yedvab said Stardust has so far limited tests to the laboratory and would pursue outdoor trials only with a government partner setting rules and safeguards.
The publication lands as emissions keep hitting records, sharpening debate over whether solar radiation management should complement emissions cuts despite unresolved governance and environmental concerns.
As a private firm unveils its plan to alter the atmosphere, who decides if they can turn the sky into a laboratory?
Is engineering the climate a brilliant fix for global warming, or a dangerous distraction from cutting fossil fuel emissions?