Scientists raise alarm after uncovering growing threat circling Earth: 'There are millions of pieces of it'

Yahoo news ^ | Tue, May 13, 2025 | Ben Raker

[cuz1961]

Space junk in Earth's orbit may increase because of the effects of the same heat-trapping gases that are polluting the air and warming the planet, according to a recent study.

What's happening? A team led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers determined that, with Earth's warming, space debris could accumulate enough to reduce the low Earth orbit area available for satellites by between a third and 82% by the year 2100, as the Associated Press detailed.

The reason for this, per the study published in Nature Sustainability in March, is that climatic changes high above ground could reduce the effectiveness of the upper atmosphere in clearing up space litter.

Part of the greenhouse effect that warms the air near Earth's surface also cools the upper parts of the atmosphere where space starts and satellites zip around in low orbit," AP science writer Seth Borenstein explained. "The cooling also makes the upper atmosphere less dense, which reduces the drag on the millions of pieces of human-made debris and satellites."

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[Tell It Right]

Part of the greenhouse effect that warms the air near Earth's surface also cools the upper parts of the atmosphere where space starts and satellites zip around in low orbit

That's the same kind of logic that says global warming causes blizzards.

Been a while since I posted this reminder that the Modern Warm Period is nothing new under the sun.

[Red Badger]

Launch a giant net and bring it all down in the ocean................

[Carriage Hill]

“could”
“may happen”
“might occur”
“perhaps”
“maybe”
“possibly”

Yep, scientific study.

[gundog]

Silver lining...all of that space junk will diffuse sunlight that would otherwise warm our fragile planet. /s

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“What a drag it is…”

[cgbg]

Put a bunch of huge magnets in orbit to capture the stuff.

Then we could hire leftist sculptors to turn the debris into orbiting statues of fat black women!

(That should scare off any invading aliens for all time.)

[enumerated]

Am I to believe no one has invented orbiting robot vacuum cleaners?
Not even Elon Musk?

Highly doubtful.

[monkeyshine]

So it’s warmer up there and that means these pieces won’t burn up on re-entry?

[omni-scientist]

Is there any calamity that climate change can’t cause?

[Sacajaweau]

Climate change?? Or because we put more junk up there and more junk chips off other planets, moons, etc

[alternatives?]

“Could” is used several times in the article.

[bantam]

The Earth is dying crowd, needs more ammo to scare the populace!!
Oh, NOES!!!!! The end is near!!

IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!

[Red Badger]

The main problem is the speed these things are traveling at.

Thousands of miles per hour, even the smallest bolt is like a bullet.................

[I want the USA back]

How does the upper atmosphere clear space junk? Critical to know the answer, because the article bases its fearsome predictions on that.

Looks like BS to me.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Easy way to test this. In the 1990s, what did MIT say was going to happen with respect to the climate by 2025? Did it happen? If not, then this won’t happen either.

[telescope115]

Thanks for re-posting it. More fear porn.

[telescope115]

More fear porn from THEM, not you. I just wanted to clarify what I meant.

[SMARTY]

More ‘experts’ who think they STILL have credibility

[odawg]

Complete nonsense. The first sentence spilled the beans. There is no atmosphere, and no warming, where the satellites are.