Researchers conspired to hide tests to dim the Sun to 'avoid scaring' the public: comms show
The conspiracy
A University of Washington research team covertly planned a solar geoengineering experiment to dim sunlight by creating clouds over a 3,900-square-mile ocean area off North America, Chile, or south-central Africa. The Marine Cloud Brightening Program, backed by billionaire donors like Chris Larsen, deliberately withheld plans from the public and local officials to “avoid scaring them,” as revealed in internal texts. A smaller test on a retired aircraft carrier in Alameda, California, was halted in June 2024 after city officials, unaware until media reports surfaced, banned it for violating lease terms.
The team’s secrecy extended to strategic concealment. A SilverLining communications strategist, Jesus Chavez, explicitly directed, “There will be no mention of the study taking place in Alameda,” in a November 2023 email. Internal documents show researchers avoided engaging Alameda leaders, relying on museum staff to manage relations while downplaying risks to ensure cooperation. Plans for a larger test, costing $10–20 million, involved seeking federal ships and funding from NOAA and the Department of Energy, but these prospects faded after the Alameda backlash and Trump’s reelection.
"Alameda was a stepping stone to something much larger, and there wasn't any engagement with local communities," said Sikina Jinnah, an environmental studies professor at the University of California in Santa Cruz.
Sikina Jinnah, condemned the lack of community engagement as a “serious misstep.” The secrecy surrounding both the Alameda test and the larger ocean experiment raises significant ethical and transparency concerns. No evidence suggests the project has been abandoned, and investigations into the coverup continue. The program’s actions highlight the risks of conducting controversial research without public trust, especially amid growing calls for geoengineering regulation.
Partners and funders
The Marine Cloud Brightening Research Program, led by the University of Washington College of the Environment, relies on a partnership with UW, SRI International, and SilverLining. SRI International, based in Silicon Valley, drives innovation across technical and scientific fields, impacting lives through groundbreaking technologies over 75 years. SilverLining, headquartered in Washington DC, advances research to mitigate near-term climate change impacts.
Funding comes from SilverLining’s Safe Climate Research Initiative and a consortium of donors. Key funders include Quadrature Climate Foundation, Pritzker Innovation Fund, Simons Foundation, SilverLining Climate Change Foundation, Kissick Family Foundation, and Cohler Charitable Fund. Individual contributors are Alan Eustace, Armand Neukermans, Chris and Crystal Sacca, and Dan Scales.