Scientists Watched Carbon Dioxide Being Pulled Out of The Air to Form Graphite

Researchers at UC Berkeley used Raman spectroscopy to observe CO₂ electrolysis in molten salts at 500°C, revealing a two-step reaction pathway that converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into solid graphite usable in batteries and electronics. The process was previously theorized but never directly observed before.

This is a laboratory demonstration of the reaction mechanism; scaling to industrial or commercial production would require further development and cost optimization.