20 May 2026
About this episode
Episode 370
The melting ice caps are accelerating global warming and contributing to sea level rise, but could also contribute to a different kind of climate catastrophe. The melting may cause massive amounts of frozen methane to bubble up into the atmosphere. It happened thousands of years ago - and scientists are concerned it’s about to happen again.
Methane is a greenhouse gas which is 86 times more potent than CO2. Some estimates suggest this frozen methane - methane hydrates - contain twice as much warming potential as all the coal, oil and gas on Earth.
¾«¶«´«Ã½s have now discovered a new way for methane in Greenland to be unleashed. It’s not a threat that has been taken seriously as the evidence has been inconclusive. But perhaps it’s time for us to take notice?
Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by New ¾«¶«´«Ã½â€™s Alec Luhn to discuss the news.
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