"Instead, it will observe how particles interact with one another, with the background stratospheric air, and with solar and infrared radiation. Scientists say this lack of concrete information and consensus is a critical failure that must be corrected with new studies. This process involves seeding the stratosphere with aerosols to reflect sunlight away. SCoPEx is also partially funded by Harvard's Solar Geoengineering Research program, which is also funded by foundations and donors, including Gates. Gates himself has put his money where his mouth is, backing a Harvard University experiment to look at the effect of spraying particles into the stratosphere to, in theory, create a global cooling effect. China threatens to shoot Nancy Pelosis plane down if she visits Taiwan., Know what they always find in Alzheimers patients? (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images). Microsoft founder Bill Gates delivers a speech at the conference of Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria on October 10, 2019, in France. (Photo by: VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images), Santa Clara, California 27 September, 2014 Global, March Against Chemtrails and Geoengineering, YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA - JANUARY 07: Lava runs down, from Mount Merapi as the volcanic activity increases on January 7, 2021 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. If you live somewhere with low light, you might be worried that solar panels aren't for you, but these actually perform excellently in low light conditions. Geoengineering is a blanket term for technologies that try to alter Earths physical qualities on the largest scale possible. Bill Gates is a popular target of conspiracy theories characterizing his charitable giving as evidence of a nefarious world domination scheme. In an open letter, the 16 initiators of the Solar Geoengineering Non-Use Agreementall scholars in their own rightargue there are three main grounds for preventing the use of such technologies. Keith wrote in a blog post last December there are "no easy answers" to climate change and noted that a "technology's risks depend on how it's used. With assistance from Hayley Arlin and James Grant. In 2007, Gates created a grant-making research fund known as the Fund for Innovative Climate and Energy Research (FICER). We should also note Gates' involvement in the SCoPEx project is purely financial. 727-821-9494. stated on February 21, 2022 in an article: "Bill Gates hatches 'horribly stupid' plan to block out the sun", stated on February 20, 2023 in an Instagram post. One example is cloud seeding, where airplanes flush clouds with particulate matter in order to coalesce into rain. Scientists have devised multiple ways to block sunlight from reaching Earths atmosphere or surface. David Keith, a professor of applied physics and public policy at Harvard University, recognizes the very many real concerns of geoengineering. The SCoPEx team is aiming to collect data to enhance computer models and has said it plans to release a nontoxic chemical, but not to scatter sunlight back into space. The high conversion efficiency 100 watt PV panel can charge 12v /24v batteries, and it comes with a portable folding suitcase. He is among the donors to a program thats funding a small-scale experiment proposed by Harvard researchers that would spray aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight back into space. Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has been supporting a wide array of research on geoengineering since 2007, ScienceInsider has learned. STOP HIM. Advertisement - story continues below Now, apparently, he wants to save us from the sun. One that has persisted in recent weeks involves an experiment by a team of scientists at Harvard University, known as the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), that is testing aerosols that might be relevant to solar geoengineering. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Bill Gates' wealth has allowed him to donate and invest in projects across the globe. This is our End Times News Update for the week of Friday February 3rd, 2023. It also has made him a. With Bill Gates attempt to block out the sun, I dont believe Texas winter storm was a fluke . Three doctors from the same hospital die suddenly in the same week, after the hospital mandated a fourth COVID-19 vaccine for employees. Concerned groups want a clearer understanding of consequences before the launch. Anyone new to solar panels should start with a good kit, like this one by Renology. It is not a test of solar geoengineering per se. So, is all of this a good idea or not? Early research suggests that the substance has near-ideal optical properties that would allow it to absorb far less radiation that sulfate aerosols, causing significantly less stratospheric heating. Geoengineering techniques such as solar radiation management (SRM) could be part of a future technology portfolio to limit global temperature change. Cocaine Bear Isnt the Only Animal Getting High. The most commonly proposed method is to use aerosols "the gaseous clouds formed by particles of many common materials" because the physical structure of their particles blocks and scatters light, according to Popular Mechanics. The researchers behind the forthcoming Harvard project, the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), say we must study solar geoengineering in case we need to take a drastic action against climate change. The speculative possibility of future solar geoengineering risks becoming a powerful argument for industry lobbyists, climate denialists, and some governments to delay decarbonization policies, the authors write. Despite the concern, Keutsch is leading a project to study such technology, which could start later this year. The experiment would measure the risks and effectiveness of the technology. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. "Bill Gates is attempting to block the sun in order to keep the Earth more cool." Days later, on Monday night, Tucker Carlson dog-whistled to conspiracy theorists, telling Fox News viewers that "your body" is "Bill Gates' body now," because the Microsoft founder is helping to fund global COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Claim that Bill Gates is scheming to block the sun is wrong If Your Time is short Harvard researchers proposed a small-scale experiment that would spray aerosols into the atmosphere to. Considering the unknown risks attached to solar geoengineering, OECD members should continue in their efforts to develop economically attractive renewable energy technology, even as it supplements such efforts with limited and careful research and experimentation. The post also claims: "Geo engineering is actually a thing and Bill Gates has been backed to try and 'block out the sun'." According to the Met Office, geoengineering is the "deliberate large-scale manipulation of climate". "Geoengineering is a blanket term for technologies that try to alter Earths physical qualities on the largest scale possible," Popular Mechanics reported. It's relatively budget-friendly (solar panels can get expensive fast) and it performs. Gates argument, as described during a 2010 TED Talk, is that humanity should not be in a position, if global warming gets bad enough that geoengineering needs to be taken seriously, where we do not have the research to fully understand the mechanics of that solution: If you get into that situation, it's like if you've been overeating, and you're about to have a heart attack. Due to the controversial subject matter (more on that below) and the fact that it is privately funded, SCoPEx is overseen by an outside panel of advisers run by Harvard. Both need to be studied, and likely more. These are ideal for residential or commercial rooftops, but they're compatible with a ground-mount as well. Her favorite topics include nuclear energy, cosmology, math of everyday things, and the philosophy of it all. If it encourages more fossil emissions by masking the climate pain they cause, then it is addictive because every ton of extra fossil carbon emissions increases climate risks, thereby increasing the demand for geoengineering to mask the pain. radiation, lowering the Earth's temperature by 0.6 degrees Celsius (33.08 degrees Fahrenheit.) One example is this April 8Facebook post, which reads:"Let me get this straight. The process is not without controversy, as some experts have voiced fears that blasting chemicals into our immediate orbit tampers with the natural order, making weather less predictable or threatening populations' food supplies by causing drought. Two key aspects of this are Greenhouse Gas Removal . We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Bill Gates's PR companies are again reporting on a UN study that is pushing for atmospheric modification to block the sun. As Keutsch has pointed out, this is not a fringe view, it is one held by several scientific bodies. Improved understanding of these processes will help answer applied questions such as, is it possible to find aerosols that can reduce or eliminate ozone loss, without increasing other physical risks?". Gates' financial involvement with SCoPEx has been documented since November 2018. Its driven, in part, by a well-intentioned sense of caution that solar geoengineering will weaken efforts to cut carbon emissions. . The United States, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia blocked a 2019 United Nations assessment of global geoengineering plans. "They are ill-served if the geoengineerings real physical risks are conflated with the equally real political threat that geoengineering will be exploited by fossil fuel interest groups to block the transformation of our energy infrastructure away from carbon.". Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Solar geoengineering, also known as radiation management, is based on the idea of using technologies to fight climate change by reflecting sunlight back into space. Carbon capture, where emissions are taken and sequestered beneath Earths surface, is another major form of geoengineering. The experiment is funded in part through Harvards Solar Geoengineering Research Program, and Bill Gates is among the donors to that program. Just as quickly as it was announced, a controversial solar geoengineering experiment backed by Bill Gates has been postponed until at least 2022. Ultimately, Gates' involvement is financial. stated on March 3, 2023 in a Conservative Political Action Conference speech: stated on February 19, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 24, 2023 in an Instagram post: stated on March 2, 2023 in a speech at CPAC: stated on February 25, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 22, 2023 in a Facebook post: stated on February 26, 2023 in an Instagram post: stated on February 27, 2023 in a Facebook post: All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Additionally, the project is not working to block or dim the sun. Already, about 30% of the suns energy is reflected back into space by clouds and ice, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental nonprofit group. Photo credit: Justin Sullivan - Getty Images. So what does this mean for SCoPEx, and for solar geoengineering in general? "JUST IN: Bill Gates next venture will try to spray dust into the atmosphere to block the sun. So what should humanity do about it? Washington, DC It is true that no one knows what will happen until the CaCO3 is released and then studied afterward. The claim that solar geoengineering is an effort to "block out the sun" is inaccurate; the technology is a riff on a naturally occurring process. Gates and other private donors are supporting Harvard University's Solar Geoengineering Research Program, which had planned to launch a new study based in Sweden in June researching the. SCoPEx is one of those projects. Meanwhile China is building a generator as a second sun in order to heat the earth. In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. He's also known for wanting to save us from ourselves. That's what the Harvard project, called the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment, or SCoPEx, aims to fix. Freezing temperatures in 1815 led to failed crops in near-famine conditions. But this claim, like other reports, misrepresents the nature of the project. Mount Merapi, 2,968 metres high, is known as one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, with an eruption occurring every two to five years. Caroline Delbert is a writer, avid reader, and contributing editor at Pop Mech. The test was originally scheduled for June 2021, but will be delayed until at least 2022. Briefly, it is true that Gates has funded research that includes theoretical studies into the feasibility of solar radiation management. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has funded a project to study such a technology. .css-ow13hy{background-color:#1c6a65;color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;letter-spacing:0.03rem;padding:0.8125rem 1.25rem 0.9rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-color:#1c6a65;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-transform:uppercase;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;width:auto;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-ow13hy{font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1;padding:0.7rem 1rem 0.75rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-ow13hy{padding:0.7rem 1rem 0.75rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-ow13hy{font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1;padding:0.8125rem 1.25rem 0.9rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-ow13hy{font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1;}}.css-ow13hy:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}.css-ow13hy:hover{color:#fff;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:#000000;border:none;} Make your inbox more awesome. Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. Keith and fellow SCoPEx scientists published a paper in 2017 suggesting that the dust may actually replenish the ozone layer by reacting with ozone-destroying molecules. Yet the debate over solar geoengineering is likely to persist, as it enjoys the backing of wealthy individuals such as Gates, and the support of key scientific institutions, including the powerful U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which is urging the U.S. government to set up a federal research program to advance the technologies to the tune of up to $200 million. Thats hard to say right now, but all of the scientists and backers involved are only suggesting doing researchnot taking large-scale action. The claim first surfaced in 2021 and has been previously debunked. British scientists have cited stratospheric aerosols from volcanic eruptions in Alaska and Mexico as the potential cause of drought in Africas Sahel region. "The laws governing Agenda 2030 land development allows the government to seize polluted lands and move their residents to smart cities., Bill Gates hatches 'horribly stupid' plan to block out the Sun - just like Mr Burns, Fund for Innovative Climate and Energy Research, New Report Says U.S. Should Cautiously Pursue Solar Geoengineering Research to Better Understand Options for Responding to Climate Change Risks, Stratospheric controlled perturbation experiment: a small-scale experiment to improve understanding of the risks of solar geoengineering, No, Bill Gates did not outline 2018 plan to depopulate the planet, No, the Gates Foundation isnt pushing microchips with all medical procedures, Bill Gates Will Have to Wait a While to Block the Sun, Bill Gates Is Thinking About Dimming the Sun, Claims that Bill Gates is going to block the sun lack context, Solar Geoengineering Should be Investigated, Scientists Say. Unlike sulfates, which can lead to ozone loss, calcium carbonate is not particularly reactive. Elsewhere, the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G) aims to get the United Nations to discuss solar geoengineering at the UN General Assembly in 2023though C2G emphasizes that its stance is strictly impartial, and that the initiative simply seeks effective governance of the technologies. But late last month, a Harvard advisory committee that was set up to study the projects ethical implications recommended pushing back the test until a more thorough societal engagement process can be conducted to address issues related to solar geoengineering research in Sweden, Harvard wrote. Aerosols are the gaseous clouds formed by particles of many common materials. This one is easy to take on-the-go with you if you're camping, and easy to store if you're using it at home in case of a power outage. Many anti-Gates stories and memes suggest Gates philanthropic efforts' stem from things he "wants" to happen. But theres another nightmare: Its that after bringing emissions to zero, we realize in hindsight that early use of geoengineering could have saved millions of lives lost in heat waves and helped preserve some of the natural world," Keith wrote in an op-ed published in the Boston Globe. That was an atmospheric aerosol event. Climate research, renewables and circularity, Solar engineering would see reflective particles. Scientists have devised multiple ways to block sunlight from reaching Earths atmosphere or surface. The claim gained traction in mid-February as residents in the state of Texas faced deadly winter storms but continued to circulate on the social network this week. . In late December 2020, reacting to reporting from Reuters, the Western Journal published a story titled "Bill Gates' Savior Complex Spirals Out of Control, Funds Sun-Dimming Plan To Save the Human Race." Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Franklin Jacome/Agencia Press South/Getty Images, lists Bill Gates as one of its philanthropic donors, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Bill Gates' "Block The Sun" Scopex Balloon Launch Experiment In Sweden Hits A Snag As Environmental Groups Express Criticism . 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Since 2007, Bill Gates has funded research initiatives that, in part, provide grants for experiments related to solar radiation management a form of geoengineering controversially proposed. The incremental nature of SCoPEx cannot be understated. The ultimate aim is not to roll out some major solar geoengineering apparatus, but to collect data that will better inform computer models, researchers said. Aerosols are the gaseous clouds. It's made ofPET, EVA and monocrystalline silicon, and it'santi-reflective andhigh transparency. What is solar geoengineering, anyway, and why are scientists suddenly interested inand concerned bythe concept? It's also easy to use and compact in size, making it easy to store when not needed. Such statements describe popularly held concerns about the concept of geoengineering as a whole. For example, no credible scientist is arguing that SCoPEx, by releasing 4.4 pounds of chalky power 12 miles above the arctic, will, as the Daily Mail put it, "trigger a disastrous series of chain reactions, creating climate havoc in the form of serious droughts and hurricanes, and bring death to millions of people around the world." The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia resulted in the year without a summer, while the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines lowered global average temperatures by 0.5 C. Deliberate introduction of similar particles could potentially counter decades of greenhouse gas emissions. A snapshot of searches between March 1 and 2 included breakout results largely based around: "Bill Gates trying to block sun. Concerned groups want a clearer understanding of consequences before the launch. Instead, the balloon would test properties of the hardware and software needed for future trials, including propellers, power, data, navigation and the communication systems. These models, the SCoPEx website explains, "are the primary tool for estimating the risks and benefits of solar geoengineering." According to the team, the design for future SCoPEx flights required a balloon that can fly a 600 kg payload close to an altitude of 12 miles. Instead, it will observe how particles interact with one another, with the background stratospheric air, and with solar and infrared radiation. Frank Keutsch, the projects principal investigator, does not know what the results might bring. According to Snopes, SCoPEx is also financed by the Fund for Innovative Climate and Energy Research (FICER), a fund for research grants co-created by Gates in 2007. "The risks of solar geoengineering are poorly understood and can never be fully known," dozens of scientists wrote in an open letter to governments last year, imploring them to prohibit the technology. No one is suggesting we spray the clouds with calcium carbonate tomorrow, or even 10 years from now. The arguments underlying these concerns are outside the scope of this article, but a central feature of misinformed reporting on SCoPEx involves conflating scientists' or activists' views on solar radiation management in general with fears about SCoPEx specifically. Bill Gates has provided undisclosed amounts of funding to academic research into solar geoengineering research, which in turn helps to fund the SCoPEx project. But solar geoengineering is controversial, even according to the Harvard researchers who proposed the experiment. Geoengineering Monitor, accessed April 23, David Keith's Research Group at Harvard University, October 19, 2020, ", Keutsch Group at Harvard, accessed April 23, ", Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society, April, 17, 2018, ", Harvard's Solar Geoengineering Research Program, accessed April 23, ", Harvard'sStratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment. Its called solar radiation management, or solar geoengineering. Bill Gates is working on a way to block the sun's rays so we prevent global warming. Official govt docs expose Michelle Obamas 14 year history as a man., "Woody Harrelsons 60 seconds in the middle of his monologue was cut out of the edits released after the show., BREAKING Trump preps Marines to stop presidential coup.. In a 2010 Ted Talk, Gates argued that if society ends up in a position where global warming is bad enough that geoengineering needs to be taken seriously, it should already know and understand the process and its potential consequences. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com, A project funded by Bill Gates "would help block out the sun. Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is no stranger to conspiracy theories and speculation about the projects he funds. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Know what makes your body hoard aluminum? Although . The Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx) aimed to see how a tiny amount of aerosol in a trial would influence the immediate surroundings. An FAQ published on the SCoPEx site says: "This knowledge will improve large-scale models that will in turn improve estimates of the overall efficacy and risks of solar geoengineering. NO MORE CROPS, NO FOOD, NO PLANTS NO NOTHING!!! .css-v1xtj3{display:block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:100;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-v1xtj3:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.1387rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-v1xtj3{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}USAF's Reactor Creates Jet Fuel Out of Water, Air, Ring Lasers Can Allow Time Travel, Scientist Says, Mystery on Easter Island: More Moai Found in Lake, Ironton Found: Solving An 1894 Shipwreck Mystery, Scientists Discovered a Highly Reactive Superacid, 60 Scientists Are Trying to Block the Sun. A Harvard experiment named SCoPEx is supported in part by these initiatives. Other reports that misrepresented the project includeda story from the British tabloidThe Daily Mail, which warned of potential disasteras a result ofthe experiment. Gates is one of SCoPEx's funders, but he is not participating in the project's research. Keutsch's counter, in essence, is that we don't yet know enough about the mechanics of the solution to adequately understand its risks. Bill Gates' Savior Complex Spirals Out of Control, Funds Sun-Dimming Plan To Save the Human Race, says concerns like these are not supported by science, Fact check: Bill Gates is not planning to microchip the world through a COVID-19 vaccine, Planned Harvard balloon test in Sweden stirs solar geoengineering unease, Bill Gates' Savior Complex Spirals Out of Control, Funds Sun-Dimming Plan To Save the Human Race, Could dimming the sun save the Earth? Bill Gates funded the study. Photo of electric charging station powered by diesel generator is emblematic of the electric vehicle movement. In the case of Keutsch's experiment, the chemical will be calcium carbonate, which is essentially a chalk dust. You'll get everything you need in one, includingan100W solar panel, 30A PWM negative ground charge controller, MC4 connectors, a8Ft 10 AWG tray cable, and mounting Z brackets for an RV or boat. Bill Gates ' involvement with a geo-engineering experiment aimed at slowing climate breakdown has prompted viral conspiracy-laden claims centred around the idea that he "wants to block out the sun". Now, concerned that science fiction could end up becoming science fact in all the wrong ways, an international coalition of researchers and campaigners has called for an end to solar geoengineering plans. "President Biden confirm(ed) everyone will receive their $1k gas checks this week!! The claim that Gates is working on a way to block the sun's rays to prevent global warming isFALSE, based on our research. But now, Harvard says its delaying the study to examine the impact on Sweden itself, as well as the indigenous Sami people who live in the region. The UN document correctly indicates that volcanic eruptions sometimes fill the skies with ash or sulfur, dim the sun for years, and lead to measurable global cooling episodes. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. In fact, it would be less material than spews from airplanes, rockets or routine balloon launches. Her favorite topics include nuclear energy, cosmology, math of everyday things, and the philosophy of it all. The Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx) will spray a special calcium dust into the sky in order to reflect sunlight back into space. After Reuters reported on the effort in December 2020, the conservative Western Journal published a piecetitled "Bill Gates' Savior Complex Spirals Out of Control, Funds Sun-Dimming Plan To Save the Human Race," in which the writer portrays the project as a threat to humanity. False: The claim is demonstrably false. Microsoft founder Bill Gates (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) The Harvard researchers have claimed that, if it were launched this year, it would cost about $3.5 billion (2.74 billion), plus. Fact check: Bill Gates is not trying to 'block the sun's rays' in the name of climate change. 1800 I Street NW Gates, who dropped out of Harvard in 1975 to co-found Microsoft, has provided funding to the university for climate research since 2007. The project is supported in part by philanthropist Bill Gates through SEAS's Solar Geoengineering Research Program. I cover energy, security, Europe, Russia/Eurasia & the Middle East, The Sun setting into a pall of forest fire smoke, over Alberta from fires in BC and elsewhere, on August 17, 2018 This shows the dimming and reddening of the Sun as it set, with it disappearing from view long before it reached the horizon This was from home in southern Alberta, and is a Lighten blend mode stack of 20 images taken at 10 minute intervals, and shot on Auto Exposure with the Canon 6D MkII and 35mm lens The frames are part of a larger 200-frame timelapse processed with LRTimelapse. 3 min read. Gates and other private donors are backing Harvard Universitys Solar Geoengineering Research Program, which will soon launch a new study researching the efficacy of blocking sunlight from reaching Earths surface. MSFT Gates only connection to the research is through his donation to Harvards Solar Geoengineering Research Program, which is providing part of the funding for the project.