Huge Methane Plumes in the Arctic Sea...

[Rockhopper]

Methane is a far worse GHG than CO2!

Dramatic and unprecedented plumes of methane - a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide - have been seen bubbling to the surface of the Arctic Ocean by scientists undertaking an extensive survey of the region.

The scale and volume of the methane release has astonished the head of the Russian research team who has been surveying the seabed of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf off northern Russia for nearly 20 years.

In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Igor Semiletov of the International Arctic Research Centre at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, who led the 8th joint US-Russia cruise of the East Siberian Arctic seas, said that he has never before witnessed the scale and force of the methane being released from beneath the Arctic seabed.

"Earlier we found torch-like structures like this but they were only tens of metres in diameter. This is the first time that we've found continuous, powerful and impressive seeping structures more than 1,000 metres in diameter. It's amazing," Dr Semiletov said.

From Here.

Tim.

[Mordae]

Guess we passed that tipping point then.

[Stirky]

Yep sure looks like it, mother nature is starting to let everybody know exactly who is in charge of this planet!

[Mordae]

Oh yes

How F@#ked the Climate Is in Two Photos

Oh well, we had a good run I suppose

[Stirky]

Yeah the human race tried and failed, just like the dinosaurs! Wonder what will be next to have a go running the place??

[Mordae]

If octopi could manage to survive having babies and hand down knowledge to them, that's where I'd put my money (it's only like 50 cents but still )

Anything past that is up for grabs, but as we seem to be in the process of triggering the next great extinction, it's all dependent of what species can survive and then adapt to fill the correct niche.

[Stirky]

I'd go for something from the ocean too, octopi are VERY intelligent, but if I'd go with anything I'd say the dolphins and whales. They have a lot of knowledge.

[Mordae]

It's possible, but if I remember right, the Permian Extinction wiped out almost everything that weighed more than 55kg.

*shrug* Then again, who knows, maybe we can still turn it around...or be hit by a solar storm that shuts everything down.

[Stirky]

Or the jelly fish will take over the world! Yes really depends on what happens (if anything) and what survives, I think the human race have the technology/knowledge to survive anything in small numbers, but who knows!

[Sponsored content]