Elon Musk wants to block out the SUN to curb global warming - but scientists warn the controversial technique could be disastrous

SpaceX boss Elon Musk has shared a possible solution to the climate crisis, although scientists warn it could end in disaster. 

In a post on X (Twitter), Musk said he wants to launch a 'large, solar-powered' constellation of satellites into Earth orbit. 

The AI-enabled satellites would be able to make 'tiny adjustments' to how much of the sun's energy would reach Earth, having a cooling effect on the planet. 

Many members of the public appear horrified by the idea, which is Musk's take on a 'geoengineering' project that's already been proposed.

In response, one skeptical user said: 'So basically we're letting AI decide how much sunlight humans get now? What could possibly go wrong.'

Another posted: 'No person nor company nor government has the right to mess with OUR collective world climate,' while one complained that 'we don't need more people playing God'. 

Lili Fuhr, director of the fossil economy program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in Berlin, called the idea 'highly speculative'. 

'Solar geoengineering is inherently unpredictable and could further destabilize our already fragile climate system,' she told the Daily Mail. 

'Any future geoengineering deployment would threaten the lives and rights of billions of people, including in the UK,' she added. 

'If it were ever deployed, it would not be possible to pause or halt it without risking rapid temperature spikes and an acceleration of global heating. 

'These highly speculative technologies are a dangerous distraction from solving the climate crisis and should be taken off the table for good.' 

On social media, many people were reminded of the episode of The Simpsons where local billionaire Mr Burns blocks out the sun forcing Springfield's residents to use electricity from his nuclear power plant. 

Professor Gustav Andersson, a biologist at Umeå University in Sweden, said Mr Burns 'had a similar idea some years ago.' 

Musk was asked how the constellation would ensure 'precise, equitable adjustments to solar energy' across Earth while accounting for seasonal variations. 

The SpaceX owner replied: 'Yes. It would only take tiny adjustments to prevent global warming or global cooling for that matter.'

Musk then admitted that too much sunlight being blocked could see temperatures plummet and turn Earth into a 'snowball'.  

Earth 'has been a snowball may times in the past', Musk said, although the last time this happened was around 635 million years ago. 

Musk did not specify exactly what role AI would be playing in his constellation of satellites, but it'd likely be responsible for determining when to make the 'tiny adjustments' to how much solar energy reached Earth. 

While the whole thing may sound impractical, Musk has already sent more than 8,000 satellites into Earth orbit as part of his Starlink constellation providing high-speed internet to the world.

And the cost of such a project could comfortably be covered by Musk, who is currently the richest person in the world with a net worth of about $469 billion. 

Ram ben Ze'ev, an author and entrepreneur in Scotland, said the engineering side of it 'may be possible', but the 'consequences of error would be immeasurable'. 

In an X post, he said the idea 'dangerously overestimates human control and underestimates natural balance'. 

'Reducing sunlight doesn't only lower temperatures, it directly impacts photosynthesis - the foundation of life on this planet,' he warned. Even a 1-2 per cent reduction in solar energy could devastate global agriculture, forests, and oxygen production.' 

Professor Sammie Buzzard, glaciologist and climate scientist at Northumbria University, warned there could be 'unintended consequences' of such a scheme. 

'It shouldn't be up to one individual or one country to decide the climate for another, especially with the risk of unintended consequences from untested methods,' she told the Daily Mail. 

'Some examples of things that would need to be investigated further for this method would be the carbon costs (launching satellites and AI both involve a lot of carbon) and governance.' 

'As this method would have global consequences that would not be equal everywhere there would need to be global agreement for it to go ahead. 

'Ultimately we have a known, effective, method to improve our situation - decarbonising - and we should focus our energy there.' 

Alessandro Silvano, research fellow at the University of Southampton, said it's a good thing that 'large-scale climate interventions are being discussed more openly'.

'But it's important to note that geoengineering - whether through solar radiation management or carbon dioxide removal - remains scientifically complex and carries substantial uncertainties,' he told the Daily Mail. 

'Any proposal would need thorough evaluation of its technical feasibility, potential impacts on weather patterns and ecosystems, and its geopolitical implications.'

Dimming the sun is an idea already floated, although instead of satellites some experts have proposed injecting reflective particles. 

However, in a recent report, a team warned that such risky 'geoengineering' projects could wreak havoc on the weather and actually make climate change worse.