Global Science Report is a feature from the Center for the Study of Science, where we highlight one or two important new items in the scientific literature or the popular media. For broader and more technical perspectives, consult our monthly “Current Wisdom.”
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Methane is all the rage. Why? Because 1) it is a powerful greenhouse gas, that molecule for molecule, is some 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide (when it comes to warming the lower atmosphere), 2) it plays a feature role in a climate scare story in which climate change warms the Arctic, releasing methane stored there in the (once) frozen ground, which leads to more warming and more methane release, ad apocalypse, and 3) methane emissions are also be linked to fossil fuel extraction (especially fracking operations). An alarmist trifecta!
Turns out, though, that these favored horses aren’t running as advertised.