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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: Global Warming Feedback Loop Caused by Methane, Scientists Say


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The melting of glaciers, such as these in Alaska, may be the catalyst for a global warming feedback loop, new research suggests. The melting may stir loose from the ocean's bottom methane—a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide—increasing temperatures and releasing more methane.

Photograph by Michael Melford/NGS