A bizarre new method has been proposed by a Sweden-based cosmetics company in order to eliminate the need for streetlights - brighten the surface of the Moon, Press Trust of India reported.
Materials already on the Moon will be used to help lighten its surface. According to the company's think-tank Foreo Institute, the night sky will be made to appear brighter by reflecting slightly more sunlight onto the Earth.
A brighter night sky would mean less need for streetlights, which could potentially translate to less electricity usage and thus fewer globe-warming carbon emissions, it said.
"We want to raise public awareness about the project and generate consciousness about the global energy crisis," said Paul Peros, CEO of Foreo.
According to Foreo, only about 0.1 percent of the Moon's surface would need to be transformed to reach 80 percent of the "desired brightening effect."
However, scientists are skeptical about the idea.
"Making the Moon brighter is not something I've ever heard of in the geoengineering literature," said Ben Kravitz, a postdoctoral researcher in the atmospheric sciences and global change division of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
On the company's website, Foreo claims to have raised $52 million for research and testing of the project. According to their posted timeline, the first Moon mission is set to launch in 2020, with new rovers deploying every three years.
Currently, the company is hoping to work on smoothing over a portion of the Moon's surface to increase its reflectivity, Peros said.
"Furthermore, we are looking at the surfaces and composition of the soil and materials that currently exist on the Moon and how to best utilize them," he said.
The mission would eventually illustrate side effects even if the mission proves to be successful.
"Light at night can disrupt sleep and has been linked to increases in several types of cancer in lab animals," PTI reported. "Foreo suggests the brightening effect would happen gradually over 30 years, allowing humans and animals time to adjust."
Although a motive behind the idea remains unclear, the cosmetic company's proposal has a hint of "marketing scheme" attached to it, Live Science reported.
Foreo is an "innovation company" that engages with experts from diverse fields, a company representative told the website.
