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cover of episode Could Freezing Arctic Sea Ice Combat Climate Change?

Could Freezing Arctic Sea Ice Combat Climate Change?

2025/5/16
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Science Quickly

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People
A
Alec Luhn
A
Andrea Ceccolini
A
Ani Atikuyak
B
Brendan Kelly
C
Craig Lee
D
David Hanak
K
Kian Sherwin
R
Rachel Feltman
S
Sarah Olsvig
S
Simon Woods
科学家
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Rachel Feltman: 作为主持人,我认为气候变化导致北极海冰融化是一个严峻的问题,因为海冰能够反射阳光,从而帮助维持地球的低温。如果减少温室气体排放的努力进展缓慢,那么人工制造更多海冰可能是一个可行的解决方案,尽管这听起来有些不可思议。我们需要认真考虑这种方法,以应对气候变化带来的挑战。 Alec Luhn: 作为记者,我深入北极地区考察了人工增冰项目。我观察到,北极海冰如同地球的一面镜子,能够将太阳辐射反射回太空。然而,随着海冰融化,海洋吸收了更多的太阳辐射,导致全球温度升高。因此,通过在北极地区扩大海冰覆盖面积,有可能帮助降低全球温度。目前,Real Ice公司正在积极推进这一计划,希望通过技术手段恢复北极海冰。 Kian Sherwin: 作为Real Ice的联合创始人,我认为我们已经没有其他选择,只能尝试人工冻结更多的海冰。我们的团队致力于开发和部署增冰技术,希望能够减缓甚至逆转北极海冰融化的趋势。我们相信,通过科技创新,我们可以为应对气候变化做出贡献。 Andrea Ceccolini: 作为Real Ice的联合CEO,我认为制造50万个无人机在技术上是可行的,因为我们每年生产大量的汽车和电动自行车。海冰增厚只是一个权宜之计,为人类争取时间来真正治愈地球。 Craig Lee: 作为海洋学家,我认为在地球上最恶劣的环境之一中,每天更换成千上万块电池是不可行的,维护如此多的远程无人机也是不切实际的。我们需要在无人机的能源供应和维护方面取得革命性的突破,才能使大规模的人工增冰项目成为可能。 Simon Woods: 作为Real Ice的联合创始人,我认为减少积雪覆盖可以提高整体的导热性,从而促进冰的生长。但是裸露的冰反射的太阳辐射只有被雪覆盖的冰的一半。 Brendan Kelly: 作为海洋生物学家,我担心海冰增厚过程中融化雪可能会影响海豹的繁殖。到本世纪末,北极地区约70%的适宜栖息地将会消失。地球工程可能会成为一切照旧的借口,即使我们明天停止排放二氧化碳,也可能为时已晚,无法挽救夏季海冰。 David Hanak: 作为当地向导,我认为从海洋中取水并将其放在冰上以使其变厚是一个好主意。 Ani Atikuyak: 作为当地居民,我担心水下无人机可能会扰乱野生动物。 Sarah Olsvig: 作为因纽特人代表,我认为以更大的利益为名需要我们的土地,这正是我们被殖民时发生的事情。

Deep Dive

Shownotes Transcript

The year-round sea ice in the Arctic is melting and has shrunk by nearly 40 percent over the past four decades. Geoengineering companies such as Real Ice are betting big on refreezing it. That may sound ridiculous, impractical or risky—but proponents say we have to try. The U.K. government seems to agree, investing millions into experimental approaches such as Real Ice’s. Pulitzer Center Ocean Reporting Fellow Alec Luhn is taking us with him to the Arctic to see what it takes to freeze sea ice in the already freezing cold.

Recommended reading:

Read Luhn’s feature in the June 2025 issue of* SciAm,* which will be released on May 20:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/alec-luhn/)

Follow Luhn on Instagram @alecluhn_) and BlueSky @alecluhn.bsky.social)

U.K. Funds Geoengineering Experiments as Global Controversy Grows https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-k-funds-geoengineering-experiments-as-global-controversy-grows/

Geoengineering Wins Reluctant Interest from Scientists as Earth’s Climate Unravels

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/geoengineering-wins-reluctant-interest-from-scientists-as-earths-climate/

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Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Alex Sugiura with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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