According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a team of researchers lead by two scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks have made a surprising discovery about methane emissions arising from a large area of sea floor beneath the Arctic Ocean. Scientists previously thought that the East Siberian Arctic Shelf was not emitting any of the potent greenhouse gas, due to a shielding layer of permafrost, but the team's recent research indicates that millions of tons of the gas are indeed escaping. Because the amount of methane being emitted is so large, and the source has never been taken into consideration, this new information has the potential to change worldwide climate projections. Lest anyone start freaking out, one of the researchers was sure to put the discovery into context: "Our paper’s raised more questions than it answered.” Read more here.
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