Latest news with #Haverly
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First Post
4 days ago
- Science
- First Post
How a researcher plans to save the planet by detonating a nuke on the ocean floor
A young Microsoft engineer has proposed a radical idea to combat climate change — detonating an 81-gigatonne nuclear bomb beneath the ocean floor to pulverise basalt and sequester carbon dioxide. Drawing inspiration from both past nuclear experiments and modern climate science, this untested geoengineering concept aims to contain radiation while offsetting decades of carbon emissions read more The paper presents a bold proposal to employ a buried nuclear explosion in a remote basaltic seabed for pulverising basalt, thereby accelerating carbon sequestration. Representational Image/AI-generated via Firstpost An out-of-the-box idea to counter climate change has surfaced from an unlikely source — Andy Haverly, a 25-year-old software engineer with no formal background in climate or nuclear science. Published in January earlier this year on the open-access platform arXiv, Haverly's paper puts forward an extreme method: burying and detonating a nuclear device deep beneath the seafloor to trigger a massive carbon capture process. 'By precisely locating the explosion beneath the seabed, we aim to confine debris, radiation, and energy while ensuring rapid rock weathering at a scale substantial enough to make a meaningful dent in atmospheric carbon levels,' the study states. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The method revolves around using the raw power of a nuclear detonation to pulverise basalt rock — abundant on the ocean floor — thereby accelerating a natural process known as Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), which binds carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into solid minerals. What is the proposal? At the heart of the proposal lies the unprecedented yield of the nuclear device Haverly envisions. The study calls for a blast of 81 gigatonnes, which is more than 1,600 times the explosive force of the 50-megaton Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated, tested by the Soviet Union in 1961. The target for this operation is the Kerguelen Plateau, a remote basalt-rich region in the Southern Ocean. According to the study, the nuclear device would need to be buried 3 to 5 kilometres into the basaltic seabed, which itself lies 6 to 8 kilometers beneath the ocean surface. This depth, combined with water pressure of up to 800 atmospheres, would act as a natural buffer, containing the explosive force and localising its effects. 'By burying the nuclear device kilometers underground under kilometers of water, we can be certain that the explosion will first pulverise the rock then be contained by the water,' the paper claims. The method's core aim is to accelerate basalt's chemical interaction with CO₂, a process that already occurs in nature over geological time scales. Haverly proposes artificially speeding it up on an enormous scale. What will the plan require? Haverly's calculations are based on several key assumptions drawn from existing scientific literature. The model assumes that humanity emits approximately 36 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually and aims to sequester 30 years' worth of these emissions — around 1.08 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To accomplish this, the paper estimates that 3.86 trillion tonnes of basalt would need to be pulverised. This figure is derived using ERW models, which suggest that one ton of basalt can sequester 0.28 tonnes of CO₂. Pulverising this much basalt would require an estimated 3.05 × 10²⁰ joules of energy — equivalent to an 81-gigatonne nuclear explosion. The detonation's efficiency is assumed to be 90 per cent in pulverising basalt, based on past modelling of nuclear impacts on geological material. Is there previous research on this? The proposal echoes mid-20th-century nuclear research. Between 1957 and 1977, the United States pursued Project Plowshare, a programme that tested the application of nuclear explosions for civil engineering. One of the most famous events, the 1962 'Sedan' test, created a crater more than 300 metres wide and spread radioactive fallout across several states. Project Sedan, a Plowshare Program test, left quite the mark! 😲 Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) created The Plowshare Program, in June 1957, to explore the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Project Sedan became the 2nd and largest Plowshare experiment. — Atomic Museum (@AtomicMuseum) January 29, 2024 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Project Plowshare intended to create artificial harbours, canals and mine pits. Despite its ambition, it was eventually discontinued due to public opposition, environmental consequences and limited success. Haverly's plan draws conceptually from these tests but differs in its specific aim — carbon capture through rock pulverisation, rather than excavation. What about safety concerns? Although the proposed detonation would dwarf previous nuclear tests, the study insists that the risk to human life and global ecosystems is manageable — if not minimal. The paper states: 'Few or no loss of life due to the immediate effects of radiation.' It also includes a disclaimer about long-term consequences, admitting the project 'will impact people and cause losses.' Nonetheless, Haverly downplays the scale of fallout, stating, 'this increase in radiation would be, according to Haverly, 'just a drop in the ocean.'' He adds: 'Each year we emit more radiation from coal-fired power plants and have already detonated over 2,000 nuclear devices.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To mitigate radiological impact, the paper recommends using a standard fission-fusion hydrogen bomb, optimised to reduce persistent radioactive contamination. The surrounding basalt is expected to trap and contain most of the emitted radiation locally. Even so, the detonation would render a section of the seabed 'uninhabitable for decades', according to the study. The total affected area would be restricted to a few dozen square kilometres, minimising ecosystem destruction compared to the widespread environmental disruption projected from unchecked climate change. Is it worth the risk in the long term? The proposal positions this destruction as a tolerable trade-off when compared to the catastrophic effects of a warming planet. The report argues that climate change will pose a far more extensive and persistent threat to global ecosystems by the year 2100. Rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, ocean acidification and extreme weather events are already contributing to biodiversity loss and food insecurity. In this context, the local environmental cost of the explosion, the study suggests, is justified by the potential for large-scale carbon sequestration. The idea has emerged as the world increasingly entertains controversial geoengineering solutions. The United Kingdom's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) has backed an experimental programme worth £50 million to explore sunlight-dimming methods, including stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These strategies aim to temporarily cool the planet by reflecting sunlight or enhancing the reflectivity of oceanic clouds. How much will the plan cost? Beyond environmental trade-offs, Haverly's proposal touts its cost-effectiveness. According to the study, the nuclear device would cost approximately $10 billion, while climate change-related damage is projected to exceed $100 trillion by the year 2100, based on estimates by IPCC and economists like Nicholas Stern. 'This is a 10,000x return on investment,' the paper argues. The author suggests that even though the proposal is 'radical,' it offers immense economic value, particularly if executed in time to prevent worst-case climate scenarios. Haverly also sets a tight timeline, proposing that the explosion could be deployed within a decade, pending testing, design and political approval. Can this method succeed? The study lays out several conditional assumptions necessary for the success of this idea: That the detonation will not trigger a global catastrophe. That the device is too large for military use and would not escalate global tensions. That current climate trajectories continue without major decarbonisation breakthroughs. That the explosion can sequester 30 years of CO₂ emissions. Haverly maintains that this proposal must be evaluated seriously, not as an act of desperation, but as a calculated intervention. 'This is not to be taken lightly,' he warns in the study, acknowledging both its potential and its dangers. The conclusion summarises the proposition as a scientifically structured yet radical climate mitigation strategy. 'By specifying the necessary parameters, we demonstrate the potential for effective carbon sequestration while minimising adverse side effects,' the paper states. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies
NDTV
4 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
US Researcher Proposes Detonating Massive Nuclear Bomb Under Ocean To Save Earth
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. A US researcher proposed detonating a nuclear bomb under the ocean to combat climate change. The plan aims to confine debris and radiation while accelerating rock weathering to reduce CO2. The study suggests a nuclear explosion could sequester 30 years of carbon emissions in one event. A 25-year-old Microsoft software engineer has suggested detonating the world's biggest nuclear bomb under the ocean to eviscerate the carbon-absorbing rocks that make up the seabed. Published in arXiv, a non-peer-reviewed website, Andy Haverly has claimed that the move could help solve the "escalating threat of climate change" through this innovative and large-scale intervention. "By precisely locating the explosion beneath the seabed, we aim to confine debris, radiation, and energy while ensuring rapid rock weathering at a scale substantial enough to make a meaningful dent in atmospheric carbon levels," the study highlighted. The study claimed that every year, 36 gigatons of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere every year. Using a nuclear explosion yield of 81 gigatons, scientists can sequester 30 years' worth of carbon dioxide emissions, the study claimed. The explosion would be well over a thousand times bigger than the 50-megaton 'Tsar Bomba' test, conducted in 1961 by the Soviet Union in 1961. According to Mr Haverly, who doesn't have a background in climate science or nuclear engineering, he got the idea from Christopher Nolan's Academy Award-winning movie. 'Seeing the movie Oppenheimer really brought nuclear power to the front of my mind," said Mr Haverly as per Vice, adding: "There are elements of this idea that are already well known, like Enhanced Rock Weathering, and detonating nuclear weapons underground but combining all of these ideas has not been considered seriously before. And that's the reason I posted this paper." Dimming sunlight This is not the first instance when such a radical plan has been proposed to slow down climate change. The UK government is mulling a Rs 567 crore (50 million pound) experiment to dim the sunlight. The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) is backing the solar geoengineering project, which has piqued the interest of scientists worldwide. One of the experiments involves releasing tiny particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight. Another potential solution is marine cloud brightening in which "ships would spray sea-salt particles into the sky to enhance the reflectivity of low-lying clouds". If successful, it could temporarily reduce surface temperatures, delaying the climate crisis and giving more time for the deep cuts in global carbon emissions needed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Shooting for the stars: OHS teacher lands STEM grant
Feb. 28—Zachariah Haverly's dream for his Odessa High School students to not only view but also photograph the heavens is coming into clearer focus with a $6,500 STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) that will allow him to purchase a new 9.25" equatorial telescope for his Astronomy classes. Haverly's grant is 1 of 23 innovative classroom projects announced by TAF this month totaling more than $105,000. The grant for OHS is one of the largest awarded in this cycle, a news release said. "It has become second nature to think of space as an unobtainable, fantasy driven, outlet that may not actually be real," Haverly said in the release. "But then students put their eye up to the eyepiece of a telescope, and they see the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter, and that all falls away to nothing. Space becomes real all over again." Haverly pursued this grant to bring the planets, stars and galaxies to life for his students. Toshiba America Foundation's grants fund projects designed by individual classroom teachers. This "direct-to-teacher" approach brings immediate results. Teachers are able to change the way they teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects because the grant supports equipment for hands-on experiments and inquiry-based approaches to the curriculum. Haverly said this project will provide students with a much more powerful, accurate, and dependable means of monitoring the night sky in real time through visual astronomy and astrophotography. An equatorial telescope tracks the motion of the earth and its rotation down to fractions of a degree. "It's imperative for students to get out from behind a computer screen and get behind a telescope to experience the wonders of the cosmos for themselves," Haverly added. "OHS learners will be able to take images of celestial objects and become involved in 'real time' study with professional astronomers and other scientists." "Mr Haverly is clearly passionate about astronomy," said OHS Principal Hector Limon. "It is incredibly inspiring to see him share that passion with his students. The grants he has been awarded will allow him to spread that enthusiasm and skill to an exponentially." This grant fits nicely with a unique asset at OHS: a retractable observatory, built in 1969. Refurbished in 2021, the observatory offers a unique opportunity to study astronomy using new smart telescopes and photography equipment. "STEM occupations are vital to the long-term growth and stability of the U.S. economy," said John Anderson, President of TAF. "STEM education is key to cultivating the critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators that will drive our country forward. Through these grants, TAF is empowering teachers to create more dynamic and engaging STEM classrooms that inspire and challenge students to pursue careers in these essential fields. By investing in the next generation of STEM leaders, we are laying the foundation for a brighter, more prosperous future for all."
