US Engineer Proposes Detonating 81-Gigaton Nuclear Bomb Under Ocean to Curb Climate Change

Microsoft engineer’s radical geoengineering idea aims to trigger massive rock weathering and sequester 30 years’ worth of CO₂ emissions—drawing global debate.

June 6, 2025 | In a proposal that has sparked intense scientific debate and public concern, a 25-year-old software engineer from Microsoft, Andy Haverly, has suggested detonating the world’s most powerful nuclear bomb under the ocean as a means to combat climate change. His controversial hypothesis, published on pre-print site arXiv, aims to trigger massive rock weathering to rapidly absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

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According to Haverly’s calculations, an 81-gigaton nuclear blast—over 1,000 times more powerful than the Soviet Union’s 50-megaton Tsar Bomba of 1961—could sequester the equivalent of 30 years’ worth of global CO₂ emissions in a single event.

“The goal is to contain radiation and debris by detonating beneath the seabed, while accelerating geological processes that naturally absorb carbon,” Haverly explains in the paper.

While he lacks formal training in nuclear physics or climate science, Haverly credits his inspiration to Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer, which rekindled his interest in nuclear technologies. “There are ideas here like enhanced rock weathering and underground detonations, but combining them at this scale hasn’t been seriously discussed before,” he told Vice.

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What the Study Claims:

• Global annual CO₂ emissions: ~36 gigatons
• Proposed nuclear explosion yield: 81 gigatons
• Goal: Kickstart enhanced rock weathering to permanently trap atmospheric carbon

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Scientific Community Reacts:

The idea, while imaginative, is not without criticism. Experts have raised serious concerns about radioactive contamination, seismic risks, and long-term ecological damage. Former NASA scientist Dr. Lori Freidenberg warned, “You cannot geoengineer your way out of climate collapse with nuclear bombs.”

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Others have likened it to other high-risk geoengineering proposals currently under review—such as the UK’s ₹567 crore solar dimming project, which includes releasing reflective particles into the stratosphere and marine cloud brightening.

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Background on Radical Climate Fixes:

This is not the first time outlandish solutions have been proposed to fight climate change:

• Solar Geoengineering: Backed by the UK’s ARIA agency, this involves reflecting sunlight to temporarily cool the Earth.
• Artificial Cloud Seeding: Using salt-spray ships to brighten marine clouds and reflect sunlight back into space.

While some scientists see these as temporary buffers to buy time for deep emissions cuts, most agree that such interventions carry unpredictable side effects and should be approached with caution.

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Tags:

Nuclear Bomb Climate Proposal, Andy Haverly, Ocean Bomb Sequestration, Geoengineering, Enhanced Rock Weathering, Solar Dimming, Microsoft Engineer Climate Plan