Methanotrophs, including those that capture methane from the air, seem to outcompete methanogens in dry environments, a new study shows.
methane
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tectonics and Climate Are Shaping an Alaskan Ecosystem
Biogeochemical research reveals the web of forces acting on a high-latitude microbe community in the Copper River Delta.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
By 2051, Emissions from Coal Mining on Federal Lands Could Drop by 86%
Researchers predict that if early 2024 policies hold, emissions related to coal’s extraction, transportation, and combustion will drop over the next 25 years.
Posted inNews
This Exoplanet May Have Grown Stranger as It Journeyed Starward
WASP-121b, an already unusual planet, might have a remote origin that explains some of its peculiar properties—from iron rain to the unexpected presence of methane.
Posted inNews
Nonproducing Oil Wells May Be Emitting 7 Times More Methane Than We Thought
A study measured methane flow from more than 450 nonproducing wells across Canada, but thousands more remain unevaluated.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Proposed Experiment Could Clarify Origin of Martian Methane
Curiosity’s detection of the gas, if atmospheric, could be an indicator of life on the Red Planet. But skeptics say further work is needed to rule out the rover itself as the source of the methane.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Peatland Plantations in Southeast Asia are Carbon Hotspots
A new study reports a rare set of data on greenhouse gas production and transport for a tropical peatland plantation showing exceptionally high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon.
Posted inNews
Rice Paddies, Like Cows, Spew Methane. A New Variety Makes Them a Lot Less Gassy.
Rice plants are a big source of methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Scientists just developed a strain that cuts those emissions by 70 percent.
Posted inNews
As Seas Rise, Marshes May Still Trap Carbon—and Cool the Planet
Rising seas spell doom for coastal wetlands trapping carbon—or do they? New research reveals that as these ecosystems transition, they can still trap carbon and possibly cool the planet.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
The Explosive Origins of Titan’s Rampart Craters
In a new study, volcanic explosions are explored and modeled to understand the possible origins of rampart craters on Titan and determine whether their formation can source atmospheric methane.