Is Earth's magnetic field the CO2 solution?

File this one under 'awesome but possibly implausible ideas'...

MOST solutions to the problem of global warming are tediously, almost oppressively, quotidian. Switch the lights off. Stop using fossil fuels to make electricity. Run an efficient car. Don't fly. A few grandiose projects have also been suggested, such as giant parasols in space or adding iron to the ocean to encourage planktonic algae to grow and soak up carbon dioxide. On the whole, though, those big ideas are either mad or could have dangerously unpredictable consequences.

That does not mean that lateral thinking about the problem has no place. And the idea proposed by Alfred Wong of the University of California, Los Angeles, at last week's meeting of the American Geophysical Union, in Acapulco, is about as lateral as they come. Dr Wong reckons the problem is not so much that CO2 is being thrown away, but that it is not being thrown far enough. According to his calculations, a little helping hand would turn the Earth's magnetic field into a conveyor belt that would vent the gas into outer space, whence it would never return.

The site of the conveyor Dr Wong is proposing to build is the Arctic. More specifically, he is suggesting it be over one of his workplaces, the High Power Auroral Stimulation facility near Fairbanks in Alaska that he set up 20 years ago to stimulate and study artificial auroras.

Let me see if I can even try to summarize this.

He wants to ionize and charge CO2 particles enough to cause them to spin through the top of the earth's magnetic field pointing out of the north pole, and out into space. I think that's the general idea. From what I understand, it would cause the same friction between particles that causes the northern lights.

I have no idea whether or not this would actually work - I mean, who would? - but it's such a cool idea I couldn't resist posting it.

The quote comes from an Economist article from last month about Dr. Wong's idea. They can probably explain quite a bit better than I can. I highly suggest you read it yourself.

Photo of an aurora near Fairbanks by Flickr user Zheng Xu. For many more crazy aurora pictures, check out the Wikipedia page for auroras.