Stanford chemists find a practical, low-cost way to permanently remove carbon dioxide from the air—the main driver of climate change.

Chemists at Stanford University have developed a low-cost way to remove carbon dioxide (CO) from the atmosphere using an unlikely source: rocks. The process involves heating common minerals, so they transform into materials that spontaneously pull carbon from the atmosphere and permanently contain it.

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere is critical to slowing global warming. While direct air capture (DAC) technology has gained attention, it remains expensive and energy-intensive, requiring up to 2.