Scientist publishes 'escape route' from global warming

[Drooling Iguana]

But what will the machines use as a power source once we block out the sun?

[Admiral Johnason]

But what will the machines use as a power source once we block out the sun?

Watch Highlander II.

What worries about me is what are we going to fo when, with global warming over with, we will get away with because the crisis is over and few people will care about preserving the other aspects of the enviroment.

[Hawkwings]

so this is how we eventually kill ourselves... Shooting our planet with giant cannons.

Out with a whimper, as opposed to a nuclear bang.

Oh, and I'd think high altitude airplanes and/or rockets and/or balloons would be much more practical delivery vehicles. Still, I suppose they'd get more funding and support if we built giant cannons.

[wolveraptor]

I think people would accept rockets, airplanes or balloons as long as giant cannons were mounted on them.

[His Divine Shadow]

I think people would accept rockets, airplanes or balloons as long as giant cannons were mounted on them.

Yes! Huge airships with 16" cannons!!!!!!!

Manji was right all along.

[Winston Blake]

This reminds me of the Biobombers from Independence War (I've forgotten their proper name). Lots of giant spheroid space stations that shot various materials down into a planet's upper atmosphere for terraforming e.g. Mars IIRC. They were also being applied to Earth at the time, since the environment was in such bad shape (along with much overpopulation) that it would have collapsed without them.

If future gigantic upper-atmospheric cannons doesn't get the mad scientist in you squeeing, there have been plans for satellite-launching superguns for a long time now. I wonder how world politics would be different now if Saddam Hussein had built his Metal-Gear-style orbital supercannon. Do you need to deliver nuclear warheads anywhere in the world, but find ICBMs too expensive and finicky? Why not order a 1000mm 500-foot orbital cannon, today!

[Admiral Valdemar]

But what will the machines use as a power source once we block out the sun?

I can't help but think of Project Dark Storm when I read this. As if shooting a load of sulphur particles and using giant airships to seed them in the stratosphere is a good alternative now. It's quite disturbing that it has to come down to this.

This reminds me of the Biobombers from Independence War (I've forgotten their proper name). Lots of giant spheroid space stations that shot various materials down into a planet's upper atmosphere for terraforming e.g. Mars IIRC. They were also being applied to Earth at the time, since the environment was in such bad shape (along with much overpopulation) that it would have collapsed without them.

Terraforming that way would be interesting, but we're talking about saving the one rock we have and much as greenies like to save the world, I'm finding it hard to imagine many would take to the concept of attacking the problem by fucking with the constituent atoms of the atmosphere.

[Shadowtraveler]

I can't help but think of Project Dark Storm when I read this. As if shooting a load of sulphur particles and using giant airships to seed them in the stratosphere is a good alternative now. It's quite disturbing that it has to come down to this.

What can I say? People would rather prefer the quick fix than to do things long-term.

[Mayabird]

I'm pretty sure that the idea behind the giant cannons or balloons is to add the particles to the atmosphere without us having to add an additional large amount of CO2 and other pollutants to do it. It'd defeat the purpose if we had planes burning huge amounts of fuel and counteracting the effect.

It's much like some people's idea to fertilize certain areas of the ocean with nutrients, particularly iron. Getting enough planes and/or boats to keep fertilizing the ocean for enough plankton blooms to make a difference would probably negate itself. We'd need to fertilize at least the entire Southern Ocean (the oceans around Antarctica) to make any noticeable effect on climate.

[Darth Wong]

so this is how we eventually kill ourselves... Shooting our planet with giant cannons.

Out with a whimper, as opposed to a nuclear bang.

Ummm, giant cannons would make a loud bang, not a whimper.

[Jack Bauer]

Personally, I prefer the Futurama method of fighting global warming. Harvest Haley's Comet for a huge cosmic ice cube and then drop it in the ocean.

[Drooling Iguana]

But what will the machines use as a power source once we block out the sun?

I can't help but think of Project Dark Storm when I read this.

That was kind of the point.

[Hawkwings]

so this is how we eventually kill ourselves... Shooting our planet with giant cannons.

Out with a whimper, as opposed to a nuclear bang.

Ummm, giant cannons would make a loud bang, not a whimper.

I was referring to the death of plant life, but I see your point.

[wolveraptor]

But what will the machines use as a power source once we block out the sun?

I can't help but think of Project Dark Storm when I read this.

That was kind of the point.

Oh. I was thinking of the Matrix. The humans block out the sun (the machine's power source) and are enslaved and turned into living batteries as a new power source.

[Drooling Iguana]

I can't help but think of Project Dark Storm when I read this.

That was kind of the point.

Oh. I was thinking of the Matrix. The humans block out the sun (the machine's power source) and are enslaved and turned into living batteries as a new power source.

Project Dark Storm was the name of the humans' effort to block out the sun in Second Renaissance.

[Wyrm]

Personally, I prefer the Futurama method of fighting global warming. Harvest Haley's Comet for a huge cosmic ice cube and then drop it in the ocean.

Only one problem with that: water vapor is a greenhouse gas. [homer]D'OH![/homer]

[drachefly]

Since this is only proposed to be used after all else failed and shit had hit the fan, I don't think that people are really going to going to up and say, "Oh, great, we've got it covered now!"

Well, some will; but a lot of people who had been turned off by environmental alarmism before would suddenly see the dusty light of environmental realism.