All methane articles
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NewsSource or sink? Trees with heart rot disease emit more methane, upending forest carbon models
New research suggests that upland forests harboring trees with a common and incurable fungal disease known as heart rot could actually be emitting more methane than they take in, therefore releasing more greenhouse gases than previously thought.
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NewsMethane’s missing emissions: The underestimated impact of small sources
Although efforts are being made to reduce the contribution of big polluters to methane in Japan, new research suggests that smaller sources are vastly underestimated in the Osaka metropolitan area. The team found unaccounted emissions from numerous small sources, including restaurants, commercial facilities, and private residences.
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NewsWetlands do not need to be flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit
Contrary to expectations, wetlands do not need to be completely flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit. Instead, the water table should be below the soil surface and remain stable, according to a new study.
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NewsBiochar boosts hydrogen and methane yield in next-generation food-waste-to-energy systems
A research team has demonstrated that adding biochar to two-phase anaerobic digestion systems can significantly increase hydrogen and methane production from food waste, while maintaining system stability under high organic loading rates.
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NewsBiochar boosts clean energy output from food waste in novel two-stage digestion system
A new study from researchers at the University of Western Australia and Universitas Brawijaya has found that adding biochar to advanced food waste recycling systems can significantly increase the clean energy yields of hydrogen and methane. This breakthrough offers promising strategies for municipalities and industries aiming to turn food scraps ...
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NewsManure digesters on farms carry limited benefits and potential harms
Manure digesters, touted as eco-friendly solutions for managing agricultural waste and reducing greenhouse gases, have limited capacity to reduce livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions, and entail potential hazards that may outweigh their benefits.
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NewsHigher methane emissions from warmer lakes and reservoirs may exacerbate worst-case climate scenario
Emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from lakes and reservoirs risk doubling by the end of the century due to climate change according to a new study. This in turn could raise Earth’s temperature more than suggested by the UN climate panel IPCC’s current worst-case scenario.
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NewsDrones reveal unexpectedly high emissions from wastewater treatment plants
Greenhouse gas emissions from many wastewater treatment plants may be more than twice as large as previously thought. This is shown in a new study in which the researchers used drones with specially manufactured sensors to measure methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
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NewsWastewater plants produce twice as much greenhouse gases as officially estimated
Wastewater plants emit about twice as much greenhouse gas as previously believed, according to a new study. Collectively sewer plants produced 1.9 times the nitrous oxide gas estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency and 2.4 times the methane.
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FeaturesBreathing alien air: the search for biosignatures on exoplanets
Among the most promising indicators of biogenic elements are volatile organic compounds produced by life forms. The detection of specific metabolites such as dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and related compounds may hint at extraterrestrial biology.
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NewsMicrobes hold the key to combating climate disaster, say scientists
Global microbiology organisations including Applied Microbiology International (AMI) have called for urgent action to put microbes at the heart of climate change mitigation, in a high-level panel discussion chaired by AMI Chief Executive, Dr Lucy Harper.
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NewsNew study shows biochar’s electrical properties can influence rice field methane emissions
A team of scientists has discovered that the ability of biochar to conduct electricity can significantly affect methane emissions from rice paddies, one of the largest sources of agricultural greenhouse gases worldwide.
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NewsScientists hack microbes to identify environmental sources of methane
A new paper reveals how the activity of one of the main microbial enzymes involved in producing methane affects the isotope composition used as a fingerprint of various environmental sources.
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NewsVicious cycle: How methane emissions from warming wetlands could exacerbate climate change
Warming in the Arctic is intensifying methane emissions, contributing to a vicious feedback loop that could accelerate climate change even more, according to a new study.
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NewsFruit and microbes boost biogas production and fermentation
Researchers have reported on a new recipe for improving biogas production from alfalfa. Adding fruit waste and an anaerobic microbe to the mix first leads to co-fermentation, then produces methane.
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NewsRestoring vegetation cover in Amazon's pasture areas can reduce methane emissions, study reveals
Proper pasture management in the Amazon, aimed at maintaining soil vegetation cover, can reduce methane emissions from livestock farming, according to a new study analyzing emissions and microorganisms in Amazonian soil.
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NewsGHG concentration and emissions vary seasonally and alongside human behaviors in estuaries
A new study suggests that industrial processes can be a major factor in the concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide in the the Pearl River Estuary and possibly other estuarine areas - but there are other influences.
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NewsClean air policies inadvertently boost wetland methane emissions by up to 34m tonnes
A new study suggests that the decline of global sulphur emissions as the result of clean air policies, coupled with the warming and fertilization effects of carbon dioxide emissions lifts a lid on wetland methane production, resulting in increased emissions.
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NewsMachinery behind bacterial nanowires discovered
Almost all living things breathe oxygen to eliminate the excess electrons produced when nutrients are converted into energy. However, most microbes that mitigate pollution and climate change don’t have access to oxygen. Instead, these bacteria—buried underground or living deep under oceans—have developed a way to eliminate electrons by “breathing minerals” ...
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NewsMicrobial oxidation in glacial rivers and lakes could help mitigate methane emissions
A new study suggests microbes in glacial rivers and lakes may play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that recent studies have shown emerging as glaciers melt in warming global temperatures.