A Natural Experiment in the Sky: Shipping, Clouds, and Climate

Shipping pollution changed clouds. What can scientists learn? What happens when cleaner shipping fuel suddenly changes the atmosphere above the ocean? In this episode of Oceanography, meteorologist Dr. Michael Diamond explains how shipping pollution, cloud formation, and climate are connected, and how a major fuel regulation and disrupted global shipping routes created a rare natural experiment for scientists. The conversation explores aerosols, sulfur pollution, cloud brightening, and what these real-world changes can teach us about marine climate intervention, including marine cloud brightening and solar geoengineering. If you want to understand how human activity is already shaping clouds, warming, and climate policy, this episode offers a grounded, fascinating look at one of the most complex questions in climate science.

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Episode Guests: Dr. Michael Diamond

Find Dr. Diamond’s published article on the impacts of the IOM regulation and preprint on the impacts of a changed shipping route. 

Review Dr. Diamond’s publications on Google Scholar

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Episode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media website

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Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese 

Cover art by Jomiro Eming

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

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