News Climate

Zapping clouds with lasers could tweak planet’s temperature

Future technology might allow manipulation of ice crystals to alter climate

CLOUD COVER  Shrinking the ice particles in cirrus clouds by blasting them with a laser could provide a method for tweaking the planet’s temperature. Scientists tested this technique in the lab, producing laser-induced explosions in ice particles.

Hehaden/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

By Emily Conover

- More than 2 years ago

Laser blasts might help scientists tweak Earth’s thermostat by shattering the ice crystals found in cirrus clouds.