Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future

The book’s title, Under a White Sky, is a reference to a possible outcome of solar geoengineering. How could the use of this technology lead to a white sky? How does this relate to the theme of the unintended consequences of controlling nature?

The costs of modifying nature—who does the most backbreaking work, or who bears the worst consequences—are not distributed equally. Describe how these harms are disproportionately distributed, citing examples from the text.

Kolbert argues that the concept of nature is tangled up in human culture. Identify three species that illustrate this point, and describe how their trajectory serves as an example of humanity’s entanglement with nature.

Negative emissions technologies, while a crucial part of most projects to keep global temperatures below a safe threshold, are also rife with unintended consequences. Describe three of these unintended consequences. Are these projects are worth pursuing nonetheless? Why or why not?

Compare the new solar geoengineering technologies discussed in Part 3 with the past examples (natural and unnatural). What do these past examples show about the potential pitfalls of solar geoengineering?

Scientists believe human civilization has only been possible by having a stable enough climate. Describe three instances where humans are trying to reintroduce stability into systems that have been thrown out of equilibrium. How do these efforts tie into the book’s themes?

Discuss the arguments for and against gene editing. Is there a case for gene editing, according to the information presented in the book? Why or why not?

Kolbert draws not just on contemporary science, but on historical, religious, and literary texts as well. Identify three instances from the book where Kolbert used either a historical figure or a work of literature, and explain how these references serve to illuminate the contemporary problems with the manipulation of nature.