| Over recent years, many scientists have been | | | | increased global warming. The solar shades will have |
| designing new and expensive technologies with the | | | | to cover a distance of 100,000km in width. The |
| aim to save the earth, or reduce the effects from | | | | proposed area for the solar shades to orbit at is |
| global warming. One of these ideas lies in a concept | | | | known as the "L1 point". This is the point of zero |
| of giant solar shades. | | | | gravity between the sun and the earth. |
| Much like ordinary sunglasses you place over your | | | | The solar optics will have tiny solar panels attached |
| eyes in bright sunshine, the solar shades in question | | | | which can act as rudders to provide a gliding ability |
| block out some of the suns harmful rays, only with | | | | for the optics to change direction if needed. |
| one major difference. These shades will rest a million | | | | A huge problem associated with this invention will be |
| miles above our heads. | | | | the process of transporting these solar optics into |
| The logic behind this invention is to provide the global | | | | space. Dr. Angel has calculated the total weight of |
| population with one giant sunshade consisting of 16 | | | | the tiny sunshades to be around 20 million tonnes. |
| trillion outer space solar shades. These solar shades | | | | Presuming if this method is chosen to save the |
| are super thin and lightweight glass discs which act | | | | world, and the space shuttle is still the best space |
| like a lens on your average sunglasses to divert the | | | | exploration vehicle, it will take 870,000 trips into |
| suns rays. | | | | space to deliver the entire solar shade as the space |
| Dr. Roger Angel (the brains behind the glass optics) is | | | | shuttles cargo weight can be only 23 tonnes a go. |
| one of the worlds most renowned experts in the | | | | There are currently four other extraordinary ideas in |
| field of glass optics. He is responsible for designing | | | | play, competing against this one to be the saviour of |
| the mirrors on telescopes, and believes glass could | | | | our home on earth, it will be interesting to see |
| the answer to solving global warming. | | | | whether any of these will ever make it to the |
| It is predicted that only 2% of the suns rays need to | | | | production stage. |
| be diverted in order to save the planet from | | | | |