Latest news with #SarahDoherty
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First Post
2 days ago
- Science
- First Post
Billionaire-backed team planned massive test planned a test to dim sunlight: Here's how it turned out
The multimillion-dollar project would have produced clouds over a stretch of ocean larger than Puerto Rico. The initial experiment was intended to run for months read more People watch the sunset over the Rio Negro in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil on July 6, 2025. AFP/Representational image A team of researchers in California that gained attention last year for an aborted cloud-creation experiment on a retired aircraft carrier had been planning a much larger study of saltwater-spraying equipment to dim the sun's rays, Politico reported. The multimillion-dollar project would have produced clouds over a stretch of ocean larger than Puerto Rico. The documents— including funding requests, emails and texts— raise new questions about the billionaire-backed initiative that oversaw the 2024 test on San Francisco Bay. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The records show the team had received some federal funding and sought access to US government ships, planes and funding. The researchers hoped to expand the project to multiple geographic locations, including off the west coasts of North America, Chile or south-central Africa. Alameda test was shut down after 20 minutes The initial experiment, led by the University of Washington's Marine Cloud Brightening Program, was intended to run for months but lasted only 20 minutes before Alameda city officials halted it, saying they had not been informed. 'Alameda was a stepping stone to something much larger, and there wasn't any engagement with local communities,' said Sikina Jinnah, an environmental studies professor at the University of California in Santa Cruz. University officials downplayed the scale of the proposed ocean test and said the program was focused on assessing whether cloud-making instruments could work in real-world conditions. 'The program does not 'recommend, support or develop plans for the use of marine cloud brightening to alter weather or climate,'' said Sarah Doherty, who leads the program. Controversy over solar geoengineering Solar geoengineering, also called solar radiation management, seeks to reduce global warming by reflecting sunlight away from Earth. It includes techniques such as releasing sulfate particles into the stratosphere or spraying saltwater aerosols over oceans. Critics warn that such efforts could disrupt weather patterns, affect farm yields and wildlife, and create a risk of 'termination shock' if the processes stop abruptly. Conspiracy theories have added to the backlash, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) falsely linking geoengineering to deadly floods in Texas and introducing a bill to criminalize the technology. In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law banning the release of chemicals into the atmosphere to affect the climate. More than 575 scientists have called for a global ban, saying the technology 'cannot be governed globally in a fair, inclusive, and effective manner.' Billionaire donors and funding sources The program's donors include cryptocurrency billionaire Chris Larsen, philanthropist Rachel Pritzker and venture capitalist Chris Sacca. Larsen said research into marine cloud brightening is needed because of questions about its effectiveness and risks. 'At a time when scientists are facing political attacks and drastic funding cuts, we need to complement a rapid energy transition with more research into a broad range of potential climate solutions,' he said in an email to E&E News. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Quadrature Climate Foundation, linked to London-based hedge fund Quadrature Capital, has given nearly $11.9 million to SilverLining and $5 million to the University of Washington for the research. SilverLining reported more than $3.6 million in revenue in 2023. It has also received six-figure donations from charities linked to former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Intel co-founder Gordon Moore.
BBC News
01-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Great Stukeley aunt helps raise £20k in memory of teenage niece
A medical secretary has helped raise £20,000 in memory of her niece who died from cancer when she was 18. Sarah Doherty, who works at Hinchgbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, walked 24-miles (38km) across 21 bridges to raise funds for the charity Young Lives vs niece Abi Quinlisk died at the same hospital in September, within hours of being told she had acute myeloid leukaemia. Ms Doherty, from Great Stukeley, Cambridgeshire, was joined by Ms Quinlisk's friends and family members, including her parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. "Around 137 of us completed the walk and collectively we raised £20,000 from various fundraising pages," Ms Doherty said."It was a great day, with so many people to talk to along the way it didn't feel like 24 miles - we all had the determination to finish for our girl."The London event was part of a long-running fundraising programme for the charity, which helps children and young people aged up to 25, as well as their Quinlisk's uncle, Paul Jenner, has been supporting one of its main fundraising events for years, a cycle ride from England to Ireland. This year the ride will be called Abi's Tour. Ms Doherty said her niece's diagnosis "was totally out of the blue - we didn't know she had this illness until a few hours before she passed away". Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
