Earth ChangesBlocking The Sun: The Folly Of Solar Geoengineering Posted on January 21, 2026 by Administrator From Greek mythology’s Icarus, whose wax wings melted after he flew too close to the sun, to Goethe’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” who unleashed forces he couldn’t control, our culture warns us that hubris rarely ends well. A California startup wants us to “work together to cool our planet for future generations.” Make Sunsets seeks to combat climate change by reflecting sunlight (albedo enhancement) through releasing a balloon loaded with sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. The plan is for the balloon to burst, scattering sulfur dioxide particles that then form clouds of dust that will block the sunlight, thereby cooling the planet. Serving as a role model is Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, whose 1991 volcanic eruption “cooled the Earth by 0.9°F or 0.5°C for over a year,” the company notes on its website.
