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Troubleshooting Earth

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It’s no secret that humans are killing the planet. Some say it’s actually so bad that we’re hurtling toward a sixth major extinction event– one which we ourselves are causing. But can technology help us undo the damage we’ve already done and save us from ourselves? At this very moment, there are a handful of massive, ambitious, and potentially world-changing projects underway that could help us save the planet. Will they be enough? In this series, we explore some of the most innovative, enterprising, and downright creative attempts to wield technology as a weapon in the fight against climate change. Let the troubleshooting begin.

 

Algae bloom, Geoengineering using Ocean Fertilization

Geoengineering is risky and unproven, but soon it might be necessary

From light-scattering aerosols in Earth’s upper atmosphere to artificial chemical sponges created to suck carbon-dioxide out of the air we breathe, geoengineering aims to purposely change the world's climate using technology. Here's why its proponents think it must happen.
Cilmeworks Plan to fight Climate Change | Troubleshooting Earth

Climeworks wants to clean the atmosphere with a fleet of building-sized vacuums

Using machines that resemble jet engines, Climeworks wants to fight climate change by extracting CO2 from thin air. The gas can then be sold to carbonated drink and agriculture companies, or sequestered underground.
ocean cleanup project boyan slat interview bird plastic feat

Inside the Ocean Cleanup’s ambitious plan to rid the ocean of plastic waste

In 2013, Boyan Slat crowdfunded $2.2 million to fund the Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization that builds big, floating trash collectors and sets them out to sea, where they’re designed to autonomously gobble up garbage. The organization has since raised over $35 million and a lot of questions from incredulous experts.
is lab grown meat real life or it just delicious fantasy cultured beef 02

Burgers are just the beginning: Embracing the future of lab-grown everything

You’ve almost certainly heard of the 'farm to fork' movement, but what about 'lab to table'? Welcome to the world of lab-grown meat: the fast-evolving dream of bringing customers their favorite edible dead animal without actually having to kill any animals in the process.
hydrostor grid of the future feat

The grid of the future will be powered by … giant subterranean bagpipes?

In order to transition to a more renewable-focused energy system, we need to scale up our grid storage capacity -- and our existing methods aren't going to cut it. Could compressed air be the key?