In Antarctica discovered a leak of methane, which could accelerate global warming

Date:

2020-07-26 22:20:09

Views:

1823

Rating:

1Like 0Dislike

Share:

In Antarctica discovered a leak of methane, which could accelerate global warming Source:

the Diver at the bottom of the Ross sea

Millions of years ago, in the time of dinosaurs, now cold Antarctica it was a warm place, where there were large trees and dinosaurs lived. However, over time, the air temperature on the southernmost continent of our planet began to fall, which led to the deaths of local animals and plants. The decayed remains were under a thick layer of ice, where millions of years processed by bacteria in the process, which has created quite a lot of methane gas, which is one of the main causes of global warming. For a long time, a dangerous gas held under ice due to the cold but in 2011, the space Agency NASA announced, what ever this mass may escape to the outside, and greatly affect the climate worldwide. It seems that this terrible process started.

Greenhouse gases in Antarctica

For the First time methane leak in Antarctica about ten years ago, near the volcanic Ross island. Scientists fears were confirmed when scientists from the U.S. state of Oregon established under the ice tools for the detection of greenhouse gases. A major leak was discovered at a depth of 10 meters, but because of what it happened, nobody knew. It would be logical to say that the leak was triggered , however, anomalously high temperatures have not yet had time to warm the Ross sea to such an extent that the ice began to pass gas.

Beneficial bacteria

For a leak, besides evidence of scientific instruments, specifies the behavior of marine bacteria. At the bottom of the Ross sea, one can notice the presence of white areas — they are formed by microorganisms that feed on methane. Basically, we are talking about bacteria of the family Methylococcaceae, which was long considered to be our defenders. The fact is that if our planet and there are places through which methane escapes into the air, these microorganisms prevent its spread in too large quantities. However, with educated at the bottom of Antarctica leakage they clearly can't handle.

See the white portions of the bottom? It — absorbing the methane bacteria

According to the researchers, the bacteria simply was later discovered the source of methane. To these creatures could save us, they need to get used to new conditions, and it can take from 5 to 10 years. But during this time, the methane can significantly affect the climate of our planet. Many people believe that the so-called greenhouse effect, which warms our planet more than the norm and allows it to cool off, caused due to contact with carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In part, this is true, but in this process plays an important role and methane.

the Danger of methane

And all because in terms of heating the gas much stronger than carbon dioxide. To enable people to understand the difference between the dangers of carbon dioxide and methane, scientists give the following example. Imagine that in one year in the atmosphere of our planet got a kilogram of methane and carbon dioxide. So, for 12 months, one kg of methane will warm our planet is 80 times stronger than the same amount of carbon dioxide. To fight greenhouse gas emissions, the second is more complicated due to the fact that much of it. Methane, things are easier because its smaller, but it is stronger than fueling the greenhouse effect and we have to act quickly.

the Bottom of the Ross sea with methane-eating bacteria.

How to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere, is not yet clear. This greenhouse gas into the air and at fault people, it is widely used as fuel. We also know that huge amounts of methane produced in the digestive system of cows. According to some researchers, every day, every living on our planet cow produces about 500 liters of methane. Also, this gas enters the atmosphere during oil production.

Recently, researchers from the Global Carbon Project reported that methane production in the world greatly increased. So, if in the beginning 2000-ies in the air were thrown out on average, 324 million tons of greenhouse gas per year, by 2017, humanity began to annually produce about 364 million tons of methane. Read more about this study and the hazards of methane is possible .

Recommended

An air leak site has been found on the ISS. What's next?

An air leak site has been found on the ISS. What's next?

Air leak occurs in Russian station module Inside the International Space Station live astronauts from different countries and all of them need oxygen. The air needed for the life of the crew is produced by special equipment, but the tightness of the ...

Why can thinking about death make life happier?

Why can thinking about death make life happier?

Awareness of one's own mortality can be a liberating and awakening experience How do you feel about the idea of death? How often do you think about it and what emotions do you feel? Many of us have been pondering these questions lately. The pandemic ...

A new photo of Jupiter has found a new spot. What's it?

A new photo of Jupiter has found a new spot. What's it?

New photo of Jupiter taken by the Hubble Telescope Jupiter is considered the largest planet in the solar system. It mainly consists of a huge amount of hydrogen and helium, so it has a much lower density than many other planets. Most of all, Jupiter ...

Comments (0)

This article has no comment, be the first!

Add comment

Related News

Mystery of the Sargasso sea, and why there were dead ships

Mystery of the Sargasso sea, and why there were dead ships

At the time, in the Sargasso sea lost a lot of ships. Almost all mystical place, about which people say, giving them a mysterious halo, are on the water. When ”ends”, the disappearances do seem very strange and inexplicable. One o...

In the United States formed

In the United States formed "the black river": how it is dangerous to fish and people?

"Black river" in the U.S. state of Arizona. Recently, residents of the U.S. state of Arizona was watching a very scary show, which is usually characteristic of horror films. In an instant, across the dry Creek watershed Cañada del...

In fact Everest is not the highest mountain in the world

In fact Everest is not the highest mountain in the world

rise to this beauty many want. As we all learned, remember? Mount Everest — the highest mountain on our planet. But, no! Actually it is not, and there is a mountain higher than Everest, but who cares when there are entrenche...

Is it possible to meet his counterpart on Earth?

Is it possible to meet his counterpart on Earth?

is it Possible to meet someone like you as two drops of water? have you ever Thought about the fact that somewhere on Earth there is a man, just exactly like you? He can dress differently, speak another language, to be a little ol...

How dogs understand human language?

How dogs understand human language?

Dogs can understand our speech and it is proved by science Many dog owners believe that their Pets are well aware of the words they pronounced. Indeed, most of the animals instantly respond to their nicknames and perform various c...

Mystery holes: scientists will study the mysterious dips in the sea

Mystery holes: scientists will study the mysterious dips in the sea

"the Blue hole" it is possible to calculate the most mysterious objects of the Earth From the height of bird flight, the Ground looks perfectly round but in fact, it has a lot of different mountains and valleys. Scientists have pr...

The biggest eruptions in human history

The biggest eruptions in human history

Everything you love will forever destroy the time… This thing can. the Eruption of a volcano — is more than just a natural disaster. Just imagine that on you from the sky falling debris, the air is a column of ash, and...

Why butterflies love to drink the tears of turtles?

Why butterflies love to drink the tears of turtles?

Butterflies EN masse sit on the heads of turtles, but why? the Amazon rainforest located in Brazil, can be seen a very unusual picture of a butterfly sit on the heads of turtles and drink their tears. Very often the insects feed o...

Why don't fish freeze in cold water?

Why don't fish freeze in cold water?

Almost all fishes are cold-blooded animals From the course curriculum we already know that fish are cold — blooded creatures. This means that their body temperature equals the temperature of the water in which they swim. This begs...

Dangerous bacteria have learned to hide in the folds of plants and their water can not wash away

Dangerous bacteria have learned to hide in the folds of plants and their water can not wash away

lettuce can be dangerous, but do not panic the planet is inhabited with many dangerous bacteria and one of the most well known are Salmonella (Salmonella). They penetrate into the organisms of people and animals through food, cove...

How animals deceive predators?

How animals deceive predators?

a scene from the cartoon "Funny ringtones" wild nature, with all its extraordinary beauty, is a very cruel place predators and just want to break the weak animal into small pieces. However, it is worth noting that harmless creatur...

At the bottom of the seas and oceans animals found similar to Darth Vader

At the bottom of the seas and oceans animals found similar to Darth Vader

it is said that animals found are very similar to the helmet of Darth Vader Going to the bathroom, some inhabitants of the ground floors of apartment houses see before you fled in different directions of woodlice (Oniscidea). Thes...

These birds can fly for hours, never moving his wings

These birds can fly for hours, never moving his wings

males condors head adorned with fleshy dark red comb, and the skin on the neck forms wrinkles In South America to meet some of the most large and heavy birds on our planet — Andean condors (Vultur gryphus). These black and white c...

How much food can a man eat in 10 minutes?

How much food can a man eat in 10 minutes?

Photo from the Championship for eating hot dogs in new York the entire history of its existence, mankind has invented a huge number of sports. In the Olympics there are 57 sports disciplines, and in the event of 2020 it was planne...

In the deep oceans live the black fish on the ground, which absorb the light

In the deep oceans live the black fish on the ground, which absorb the light

On our planet there are fish that absorb light the Water quickly diffuses the sunlight, so even at a 100-meter deep seas and oceans is totally dark. That though as-that to Orient in space, many deep-sea creatures resort to the so-...

10 most mysterious Museum exhibits in the world

10 most mysterious Museum exhibits in the world

still from the film "night at the Museum 2" Today everyone has the opportunity to look at historical objects — it is enough to go to the Museum, which is in almost every major city. It contains thousands of different exhibits, whi...

There is a radio station, which broadcasts in 1982, and nobody knows why

There is a radio station, which broadcasts in 1982, and nobody knows why

Agree, there is something special in the old Soviet tape recorders and radios On the territory of the largest country in the world there is a city shrouded in many mysteries. Thus, according to one of them, in St. Petersburg there...

Why frogs are painted in different colors?

Why frogs are painted in different colors?

Transparent frog Hyalinobatrachium species yaku was opened relatively recently, in 2017 Almost all corners of our planet live frogs amphibian creatures with bulging eyes, devoid of the tail. Today scientists know about the existen...

Hands: the most unusual dinosaurs hunted insects?

Hands: the most unusual dinosaurs hunted insects?

You hardly imagined such dinosaurs, isn't it? About 66 million years ago, along with a huge tyrannosaurs and Diplodocus on the planet ran a tiny alvarezsaurid (Alvarezsauridae). We are talking about a small family of dinosaurs, wh...

Monkeys turning gray too, but not because of aging

Monkeys turning gray too, but not because of aging

Chimpanzees and humans are very close relatives by nature to determine the age of a person, just look at his face. If the skin is covered with wrinkles, and her hair formed a graying — so the age of a person clearly more than 30 y...