Exploring Earth's Energy Budget Through Virtual Reality

About the Project:

Climate Lens is an immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation currently in development as part of a STEM education initiative. Built in Unreal Engine, the project allows users to step into a scientifically accurate, interactive environment where they can visualize how solar radiation interacts with Earth's atmosphere.

At the core of Climate Lens is a set of dynamic visualizations designed to make invisible climate physics visible. Users will observe light rays, emitted from a directional source representing the Sun, radiating outward in clean, glowing beams. These rays will later respond to different gases in the atmosphere, helping demonstrate how light of different wavelengths scatters due to Rayleigh scattering. The simulation also includes a prism-inspired effect that splits sunlight into its component wavelengths, revealing the spectrum in a visually engaging and informative way.

This VR experience is currently in the prototyping and testing phase, with ongoing refinement happening in collaboration with education researchers and climate science communicators. A live demo and interactive access will be available on this website soon.