Scientists have found a simple way to deal with carbon dioxide emissions – turn them back into stone. They pumped 220 tons of CO2 underground into volcanic rock. It reacted with the rock and changed into a substance like limestone. The team were surprised at how fast this happened. Dr Juerg Matter said: "Of our 220 tons of injected CO2, 95 per cent was converted to limestone in less than two years….It was a huge surprise…and we thought, 'Wow!'"
The scientists hope their research will go large scale to help the problem of CO2 in the atmosphere and a warming planet. It could be a key method in carbon capture and storage (CCS). Earlier CCS techniques also involved injecting CO2 underground, but it often leaked back into the atmosphere. Dr Matter enthusiastically said: "We need to deal with rising carbon emissions and this is the ultimate permanent storage – turn them back to stone."
