Methane release noted in Arctic. Scary shit.

[alfredo]

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/exclusive-the-methane-time-bomb-938932.html

Exclusive: The methane time bomb
Arctic scientists discover new global warming threat as melting permafrost releases millions of tons of a gas 20 times more damaging than carbon dioxide
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Tuesday, 23 September 2008

Preliminary findings suggest that massive deposits of subsea methane are bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats



Hundreds of methane 'plumes' discovered
Steve Connor: The ultimate gas leak that scientists dreaded

The first evidence that millions of tons of a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists.

The Independent has been passed details of preliminary findings suggesting that massive deposits of sub-sea methane are bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats.

Underground stores of methane are important because scientists believe their sudden release has in the past been responsible for rapid increases in global temperatures, dramatic changes to the climate, and even the mass extinction of species. Scientists aboard a research ship that has sailed the entire length of Russia's northern coast have discovered intense concentrations of methane – sometimes at up to 100 times background levels – over several areas covering thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf.

[Kutjara]

1. Shit, meet fan.

The game has just become very very serious. And we're losing.

[alfredo]

4. We are the last of the Homo genus. When we go....

things might get better.

[R. P. McMurphy]

8. I disagree . . .

the Homo Freeperus will be like a damned cockroach. It will never go extinct and will continue to fuck-up the environment.

[alfredo]

17. Like this guy?

[AzNick]

2. See? The planet is farting at us!

Weird too, if you look at it, it comes from the bottom part. The planet's asshole, geographically speaking.

And it's a silent one too!!!

[alfredo]

5. A Monty Python movie comes to mind. But this is serious, and the

younger generation should be very concerned and very angry.

[AzNick]

6. I am angry, but what can we do?!?

Besides a 180 degree turn, not much.

Electing Obama, then switching to solar, wind, cars that run on electricity, hybrid, hydrogen... So many things to do.

But right now, we need to elect Obama, then we'll do what nwe need to do.

[alfredo]

18. That's the first step. Each of us can clean up our own personal habits,

then work to make changes in the community. I sent a letter to a friendly council member proposing the city paint or install white roofs on all city owned buildings. I sent links showing the science, the cost savings, and the pay off to the environment. I also sent links to products that can make the transition easy and inexpensive.

Our city has already gone to LED's in traffic lights.

Our efforts might fail, but at least, let's go down fighting.

[FlyingSquirrel]

7. Silent but deadly. n/t

[Digit]

10. SBD...

Silent, but deadly.

[Gwendolyn]

15. Actually if we're doing metaphors...

...it's coming from the top, so it's more like, collectively we humans have shit for brains.

[AzNick]

20. Arctic, not antarctic, yes, sorry.

I was thinking that Antarctica could have methane trapped under the ice somewhere, from trapped flora and fauna.

[CK_John]

3. No smoking zone takes on a new meaning. n/t

[FVZA_Colonel]

9. Isn't a runaway greenhouse effect (likely) what turned Venus into a hellhole?

This time, however, it'll be artificial.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. That's one of the theories

Also it might have led to the Permian extinction

We are an apex species.... that is all I need to type

[alfredo]

19. In business it is called a shakeout. The ill suited die.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. There were warnings about this when the first signs of the permafrost melt became apparent.

I wonder if it is already too late to save ourselves..

[file83]

13. I was watching a science show where a researcher up in the arctic was poking holes...

...into ponds where you could see frozen bubbles in the ice. They would poke a hole, you could hear gas escaping and then they lit it on fire and a HUGE jet of fire was shooting out of the ice - not an explosion - more like a flame thrower. It was crazy.

Then she explained that this methane coming up from the bottom of the lake is just a small sample of what will be released as the permafrost melts. Methane is a serious greenhouse gas, and there is SO MUCH of it. :scared:

[lostnotforgotten]

14. Maybe The Apocalypse That Palin Wants So Desperately Will Be Hell On Earth

Oh, the irony of those Fundie Freeper global warming deniers withering to dust as the atmosphere heats to hellish temperatures!

[spag68]

16. Methane

I'm waiting for some oil co. freak to figure out a way to capture the methane, then charge us to use it in our stoves and furnaces.

[alfredo]

21. They may tether us to a hose to capture our methane discharges.