Methane is a simple hydrocarbon, a colorless, odorless gas consisting of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms (CH4). It is the main component of natural gas, making it a significant energy source used in heating, electricity generation, and as a fuel for vehicles. Methane is also a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential many times greater than that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. It is released into the atmosphere from natural sources like wetlands and geological seepage, as well as from human activities such as agriculture (especially from the digestive processes of ruminants), landfills, and the extraction and transportation of fossil fuels. Methane’s impact on climate change, coupled with its energy content, makes its management crucial in environmental policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change.
Montana State University scientists have discovered two new methane-producing microbial groups in Yellowstone National Park, revealing potential new approaches to climate change mitigation and insights…
New research reveals that tree bark microbes absorb significant amounts of methane, increasing the climate benefit of trees by about 10%. This finding underscores the…
Research has revealed that the drying lake bed of the Great Salt Lake in Utah released 4.1 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2020. This…
Scientists have documented the largest methane leak ever in Kazakhstan’s Karaturun East field, releasing 131,000 tonnes over 205 days. Their study used satellite data and…
Much of the methane released into the southern Baltic Sea from the Nord Stream gas pipeline has remained in the water. This is shown by…
Emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, may be higher than previously thought, especially from landfills. Methane, significantly more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse…
A novel reactor design transforms CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane fuel, providing a promising strategy for addressing climate change. Cutting carbon emissions from…
New research reveals the dual nature of supercritical fluids, transitioning from gas-like to liquid-like behavior, providing insights into fluid dynamics under extreme conditions. A study…
Researchers developed a novel catalyst that converts methane into valuable chemicals more sustainably, potentially advancing efforts to decarbonize the chemical industry. Methane, a potent greenhouse…
A research group headed by Professor Chen Chilai from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has significantly enhanced the…
A recent paper may help explain why a portable chemistry lab on NASA’s Curiosity rover has continually sniffed out traces of the gas near the…
A team from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics made a breakthrough in converting methane to formic acid using oxygen at room temperature through a…
Global warming is unlocking methane reserves, the size of which remains uncertain. A young researcher at the University of Copenhagen found significant amounts of this…
Study reveals microorganisms, once infected, harbor novel genes for methane generation. A recent study reveals that viruses that infect microbes contribute to climate change by…
Berkeley Lab scientists show decadal increases in wetland methane emissions in Arctic and Boreal ecosystems. Wetlands are Earth’s largest natural source of methane, a potent…
Scientists say vast quantities of methane may be trapped beneath the permafrost, and it could escape if it thaws. Studies in Svalbard have shown that…
In a spectacular new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have used light and chlorine to eradicate low-concentration methane from air. The result gets…
Research indicates that oceanic fire-ice, or frozen methane, is vulnerable to melting from climate change, posing a significant threat of methane release into the atmosphere….