Manifold Andrew Song: Global Cooling with Sulfur Dioxide in the Stratosphere — #91
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Jul 31, 2025 Andrew Song, co-founder of Make Sunsets, is pioneering climate solutions through innovative solar geoengineering. He explains how his company launches biodegradable balloons filled with sulfur dioxide to cool the Earth, mirroring natural volcanic effects. The conversation dives into the science behind this technology, addressing environmental concerns and public skepticism. Andrew also shares insights from his Y Combinator experience and the challenges of navigating funding and climate modeling complexities in their mission to combat climate change.
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Environmental Concerns Addressed
- Environmental concerns exist but historic volcanic events show 0.5°C cooling with minimal negative weather impacts.
- Modulating SO2 amounts allows reversible and controlled atmospheric cooling.
Sulfur Dioxide Cooling Scale
- About 1.1 million tons of SO2 injected yearly offsets 0.5°C warming caused by greenhouse gases.
- This intervention is a small correction shifting emissions higher to safer stratosphere layers.
Balloon Delivery Mechanism
- Make Sunsets uses biodegradable latex balloons filled with SO2 and lift gas to reach the stratosphere.
- Balloons expand and burst at the desired altitude, releasing cooling aerosols efficiently and simply.
