Scientists plan umbrella-like shade to block sun's rays
Technology
They propose launching 'umbrella' the size of Argentina
(Web Desk) - Climate scientists are developing an umbrella-like shade the size of Argentina that would block the sun's rays to mitigate the effects of global warming on Earth.
The wild idea comes from Israeli researchers who believe the one-million-square-mile shade could reduce the Earth's temperature by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit within two years.
The team at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is seeking up to $20 million for a prototype of 100 square feet, which they said could be achieved by 2027.
The 'sail' would sit more than nine million miles from Earth and move through space by opening and closing the shading layer.
While researchers are pushing forward with the proposal, critics said the cost of the 'megastructure' would be incredible - the Israeli design is expected to reach trillions.
Harvard physicist Avi Loeb commented on the project: 'Erecting any of these 'megastructures' in space would be very expensive and require a major international collaboration through reallocation of funds from military budgets to peaceful purposes.'
Dimming or blocking the sun to cool the Earth has been a plan among many scientists.
In 2021, a $3 million initiative back by Bill Gates revealed it aimed to spray millions of tons of chalk into the stratosphere.
And last year, the White House announced it was open to plans to block sunlight from hitting the surface of the Earth in a bid to halt global warming.
While none of these plans have fully matured, the team in Israel expects to have a prototype in the next three years.
