36 min listen
The Man Who Played With Hurricanes
The Man Who Played With Hurricanes
ratings:
Length:
38 minutes
Released:
Jun 23, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Today, the idea of controlling the weather is controversial. Scientists who research geoengineering have even received death threats. But once upon a time, people were optimistic about remaking the climate in entire regions of the world. They approached this science with a touching faith in the power of human creativity.
Absent-minded genius Irving Langmuir was one such scientist. He dreamt of making deserts bloom and conjuring rain from an arid sky. He even believed that his experiments with a hurricane had succeeded in redirecting its path.
Why did we stop trying to control the weather? And might geoengineering help us solve climate change - or have we missed our chance?
For a full list of sources, please visit timharford.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Absent-minded genius Irving Langmuir was one such scientist. He dreamt of making deserts bloom and conjuring rain from an arid sky. He even believed that his experiments with a hurricane had succeeded in redirecting its path.
Why did we stop trying to control the weather? And might geoengineering help us solve climate change - or have we missed our chance?
For a full list of sources, please visit timharford.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Released:
Jun 23, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Buried by the Wall Street Crash: A tale of two men who faced ruin because they thought they could predict the financial future... and how one bounced back. by Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford