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A Powerful Greenhouse Gas
Methane warms the planet more than 25 times as strongly as carbon dioxide, and atmospheric levels have risen sharply since 2007. Oceans are an important but still poorly measured source.

 

Unexpected Seafloor Leaks
Scientists have found methane seeps from Arctic shelves and, more recently, from very shallow waters off Antarctica, where bubbles can reach the atmosphere directly.

 

Climate Risk and Hidden Life
While most deep methane is consumed underwater, shallow seeps may amplify warming. These sites also host unique ecosystems and may offer clues to Earth’s earliest lif