MetaFilter posts tagged with Methane

Has life on Mars been confirmed?

Joe in Australia — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:41:26 -0800

A British tabloid claims that NASA will today announce the probable presence of life on Mars. Planetary and atmospheric scientists from NASA's Mars program will address a press conference at 2PM EST, apparently about concentrated methane plumes that bloom and dissipate [pdf]. There was a false alarm about a similar briefing a few months ago; is this the real deal?

Put the gun down, and step away

5MeoCMP — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:15:15 -0800

The clathrate gun hypothesis has been discussed previously, but now might be a good time to start considering it less hypothetical. [via] It's also a great band name, though Single Gun Theory kind of got there first.

China and India have reported massive finds of frozen methane

stbalbach — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:10:44 -0800

China and India have reported massive finds of frozen methane clathrate off their coasts and, along with Japan and other countries, are spending large sums to develop it into a new source of fossil energy. This is important for developing countries as there may be more frozen methane in the world than all the oil, gas and coal combined, and it is available right off their coasts. Some believe it can be extracted in a carbon neutral manner, but methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and the scarily named clathrate gun hypothesis provides some fuel for thought about digging this stuff up.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE SURE!

loquacious — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 04:14:04 -0800

All these worlds are yours, save Europa. Attempt no landings he...llo! What the hell is wrong with you!? Did you just nuke Jupiter?

Free Energy for Art's Sake

pt68 — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:56:21 -0800

Ohio Valley Creative Energy Ohio Valley Creative Energy was founded to provide a heat intensive multi-arts facility for glass, clay, and metal artists that will be powered by methane, AKA landfill gas.

Titanic Pirates of Methane Seas

y2karl — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 21:10:42 -0800

Titan Sea and Lake Superior

This movie, comprised of several detailed images taken by Cassini's radar instrument, shows bodies of liquid near Titan's north pole. These images show that many of the features commonly associated with lakes on Earth, such as islands, bays, inlets and channels, are also present on this cold Saturnian moon. They offer strong evidence that larger bodies seen in infrared images are, in fact, seas. These seas are most likely liquid methane and ethane.

Radar Shows Evidence of Seas

Cow 'emissions' more damaging to planet than CO2 from cars

stbalbach — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 06:57:41 -0800

Livestock's Long Shadow, a new UN FAO report (full report) says livestock (cows, pig, sheep, etc.) generate more CO2 than all forms of transportation (cars, planes, etc) combined, with the worlds live stock expected to double by 2050.

a mighty wind

nickyskye — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 09:00:52 -0800

The Fart Heard Round the World. An extraordinary performer, who farted for his living for 20 years, Le Pétomane (YouTube) was the highest paid stage artist of his time in 1897 France. He farted songs, impressions of people, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and farm animals, among other things. The management of Moulin Rouge had to hire nurses to help members of the audience who passed out laughing so hard. He was pusued for many years by an obsessed doctor. Two movies were made about his life in English, the 1979 short film (33 minutes) of Le Pétomane (Google video) and in 2005 Parti Avec Le Vent, which translates as Gone With the Wind. [more]

Plants Exhale Methane, Contribute to Warming

F Mackenzie — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:25:10 -0800

Grasses and other green growth may produce 10 to 30 percent of Earth's annual methane output. German researcher Frank Keppler reports in Nature [reg req] that living plants give off between 60 and 240 million tonnes of methane per year, which may mean that the use of carbon sinks to offset CO2 emissions may need to be rethought. [Also: audio on NPR ]

Stop it or perish - get it ?

troutfishing — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 08:22:38 -0800

"Killer in Our Midst : Methane Catastrophes in Earth's Past and Near Future" (a free net book) - During the greatest extinction pulse known to have happened in the history of life on Earth - the Permian catastrophe - 90% of then existing species perished. This astonishingly well written, authoritative, free book may be the most important thing you will ever read on the net or off of it : it explains in great detail an inevitable Methane catastrophe, if humans do not stop adding CO2 to the Earth's atmosphere, during which "not only would a considerable percentage of existing plants and animals be killed off, but a large percentage of the human population as well" (or the whole species). In the worst scenarios the atmosphere itself could become poisonous to Oxygen breathing life. Mundane laws of physics, expressed in impending Methane Hydrate release, dictate to humanity : cut CO2 release or perish. Simple.

Alternative power sources

LouReedsSon — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:32:49 -0800

It's not the other white meat, but it seems cows have yet another use.

"That's some good shit, man (in my very best Tommy Chong!)."

Microbes vs. Peak Oil

zoogleplex — Wed, 17 Nov 2004 09:52:46 -0800

Real-Time Biological Natural Gas Generation. A research lab has discovered that microbes living in Wyoming's Powder River Basin are generating methane (natural gas) through their natural metabolism of local coal beds. In relation to the many Peak Oil discussions here, could be way to get more energy for the future. (via SpaceDaily.com)

Life On Mars's Meethane Traces Thought To Be Detected

y2karl — Sun, 28 Mar 2004 22:38:34 -0800

Life on Mars? Methane has been found in the Martian atmosphere which scientists say could be a sign of present-day life on Mars. It was detected by telescopes on Earth and has recently been confirmed by instruments onboard the European Space Agency's orbiting Mars Express craft. Methane lives for a short time in the Martian atmosphere so it must be being constantly replenished. There are two possible ways to do this. Either active volcanoes, but none have yet been found on Mars, or microbes. The Independent has it as Methane find on Mars may be sign of life. The second group to detect signals of methane in the Martian atmosphere is led by Michael Mumma of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, who used powerful spectroscopic telescopes based on Earth. This team is even believed to have detected variations in the concentrations of methane, with a peak coming from the ancient Martian seabed of Meridiani Planum, which is being explored by a Nasa rover. This could indicate a subterranean source of methane which is pumping out the gas, either due to some residual geological activity or because of the presence of living organisms producing it as a waste gas. Asked whether the continual production of methane is strong evidence of a biological origin of the gas, Dr Mumma said: "I think it is, myself personally." As to how...

semper — Wed, 05 Dec 2001 07:58:19 -0800

Cow Belching and it's effect on the Environment. Not only is it rude, but it also bad for the environment.

CrazyUncleJoe — Thu, 09 Mar 2000 19:24:09 -0800

Mr Methane is the world's only performing flatulist. His site is ... well, you just have to see his site.
[blame riothero, he made me remember this. ]