# Could this climate change fix work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 18, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798 "2019-02-18T22:24:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/1 "2019-02-18T22:24:57Z")

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Suppose we genetically modify plankton so that photosynthesis becomes more efficient. Photosynthesis is currently very inefficient. This could increase the amount of carbon deposited into the ocean sink. Of course, this is serious tinkering with the biosphere with unknown consequences, but we are in deep shit. And of course, if we overshoot, we are headed for Snowball Earth.

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/2 "2019-02-18T22:40:29Z")

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Light isn’t the limiting factor in plankton growth, [nutrients are](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28586682). But [feeding the existing types of plankton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_fertilization) is one proposal for fighting global warming.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/3 "2019-02-18T22:47:02Z")

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How, precisely, do you propose that we improve photosynthesis, and what gene modifications would make that happen? It’s tough to compete with three billion years of evolution.

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/4 "2019-02-18T22:52:09Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> It’s tough to compete with three billion years of evolution.

[Or not](https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/genetically-engineered-tobacco-does-more-efficient-photosynthesis-65286).

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/5 "2019-02-19T00:54:06Z")

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> [@Darren\_Garrison](#):
>
> [Or not](https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/genetically-engineered-tobacco-does-more-efficient-photosynthesis-65286).

Hey, he didn’t say it was impossible, just “tough”.

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/6 "2019-02-19T01:30:54Z")

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[Here](https://www.knowablemagazine.org/article/sustainability/2017/photosynthesis-fix) is a nice article about the type of photosynthesis improvement I mentioned earlier.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-climate-change-fix-work/829798/7 "2019-02-19T01:33:23Z")

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Color me impressed. Or impressed, I guess.