Lithuania extends Belarus border closure after smuggling balloons enter airspace
Lithuania will keep its border crossings with Belarus closed for a month after balloons carrying cigarettes repeatedly disrupted air traffic at Vilniu...
Spanish scientists have discovered massive methane emissions from the Antarctic seabed, a potent greenhouse gas that could accelerate global warming, highlighting the environmental risks of thawing ice sheets and trapped methane hydrates.
A team of Spanish scientists aboard the Sarmiento de Gamboa vessel has made a groundbreaking discovery beneath Antarctica’s icy waters. The researchers detected significant emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is far more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide. These emissions, previously unknown to scientists, could have serious consequences for the planet’s climate.
The methane, which has accumulated on the seabed for approximately 20,000 years, originates from methane hydrates, a crystalline substance created by the decomposition of organic matter. Geologist Roger Urgeles from the Institute of Marine Sciences in Barcelona explained that these hydrates are comparable to ice, but they can ignite if exposed to the right conditions.
The scientists’ findings are particularly concerning given the ongoing effects of global warming in Antarctica, where temperatures have risen by over three degrees Celsius in just the past 50 years. The thinning of the Antarctic ice sheet is believed to be triggering the release of trapped methane. This phenomenon, known as postglacial rebound, could result in the rapid release of large amounts of methane from the seabed.
In the region around Antarctica, approximately 24 gigatons of carbon are estimated to be stored in methane hydrates—equivalent to the total emissions of humanity over the course of two years. This discovery highlights a potentially significant environmental threat, as the release of methane could accelerate climate change, raising global temperatures even further.
In addition to the methane threat, the researchers also identified instability in the marine sediments, which could lead to massive landslides along the continental slope. These landslides could trigger a tsunami, presenting a further danger to the environment and surrounding regions.
This finding underscores the urgent need for continued research on the environmental and geological changes taking place in polar regions. As the effects of climate change intensify, understanding the potential risks associated with thawing permafrost and methane emissions will be crucial for mitigating the long-term consequences on global ecosystems and human populations.
As Antarctica continues to experience rapid changes due to rising temperatures, the world must take note of this significant discovery and its implications for the future of our planet. The potential release of methane from the seabed adds a critical layer to the conversation surrounding climate change and the need for proactive action.
A small, silent object from another star is cutting through the Solar System. It’s real, not a film, and one scientist thinks it might be sending a message.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned on Tuesday that humanity has failed to limit global warming to 1.5°C and must take urgent action.
Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in south-western Jamaica as a category five storm, unleashing violent winds, torrential rain and life-threatening floods across the island.
Billionaire investor and philanthropist Bill Gates called on world leaders on Tuesday to adapt to extreme weather and focus on improving health outcomes rather than temperature reduction targets ahead of the COP30 climate talks in Brazil.
Three people have died in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa, possibly the island’s strongest storm ever, approaches with “catastrophic” conditions, warn U.S. meteorologists.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Sındırgı district in western Türkiye’s Balıkesir province late on Monday, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
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