Methane-munching microorganisms meddle with metals
Monday, November 11, 2013 - 11:30
in Earth & Climate
On the continental margins, where the seafloor drops hundreds of meters below the water's surface, low temperatures and high pressure lock methane inside ice crystals. Called methane hydrates, these crystals are a potential energy source, but they are also a potential source of global warming if massive amounts of methane were released during an earthquake or by rising ocean temperatures.