Future Perfect
Future Perfect explores provocative ideas with the potential to radically improve the world. We tackle big questions about the most effective ways to save lives, fight global warming, and end world poverty to create a more perfect future.In season 3, we explore how the meat we eat affects us all. In… read more
Sucking the carbon out of the sky
Most of our efforts to fight climate change, from electric cars to wind turbines, are about pumping fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But what if we could pull out the gases that are already there? Akshat Rathi, a reporter at Bloomberg with a doctorate in chemistry, knows more about this technology, called “direct air capture,” than just about anyone. He follows companies like Carbon Engineering and Climeworks that are trying to figure out how to take regular air and pull carbon dioxide out of it.
If their plans work, they could mean a world with net negative emissions: less carbon in the sky than there is right now, and a cooler planet. But his reporting has also highlighted how elusive carbon capture can be, and how tricky it can be to make the tech work at an affordable price. Rathi and Vox’s Dylan Matthews discuss how direct air capture works, how it’s different from capturing carbon at a fossil fuel plant, and the struggles of one direct air capture company in particular.
Read more of Akshat’s work here:
- Inside America's Race to Scale Direct-Air Capture Technology - Bloomberg
- Crushed Rock Could Capture Billions of Tons of Carbon Dioxide - Bloomberg
- Britain Is Getting Ready to Scale Up Negative-Emissions Technology - Bloomberg
- Planting Trees Isn’t a Simple Climate Change Solution It Seems - Bloomberg
- The story behind the world’s first large direct air capture plant — Quartz (qz.com)
- The ultimate guide to negative-emissions technologies — Quartz (qz.com)
Host:
Dylan Matthews (@DylanMatt), senior correspondent, Vox
Producer:
Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde)
More to explore:
Subscribe to Vox’s Future Perfect newsletter, which breaks down big, complicated problems the world faces and the most efficient ways to solve them.
We always want to hear from you! Please send comments and questions to futureperfect@vox.com.
Subscribe to Future Perfect on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app to automatically get new episodes of the latest season each week.
Follow Us:
Support Future Perfect by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Educational
Interesting
Funny
Agree
Love
Wow
Listen to Future Perfect
RadioPublic
A free podcast app for iPhone and Android
- User-created playlists and collections
- Download episodes while on WiFi to listen without using mobile data
- Stream podcast episodes without waiting for a download
- Queue episodes to create a personal continuous playlist
Connect with listeners
Podcasters use the RadioPublic listener relationship platform to build lasting connections with fans
Yes, let's begin connecting
Find new listeners
- A dedicated website for your podcast
- Web embed players designed to convert visitors to listeners in the RadioPublic apps for iPhone and Android
Understand your audience
- Capture listener activity with affinity scores
- Measure your promotional campaigns and integrate with Google and Facebook analytics
Engage your fanbase
- Deliver timely Calls To Action, including email acquistion for your mailing list
- Share exactly the right moment in an episode via text, email, and social media
Make money
- Tip and transfer funds directly to podcastsers
- Earn money for qualified plays in the RadioPublic apps with Paid Listens
Updated privacy policy: We have made some changes to our Privacy Policy. Please note that your continued use of the RadioPublic services following the posting of such changes will be deemed an acceptance of this update. Learn more.