Why the Earth is Farting

[libstaK]

I've always held Methane to be one of the most worrying issues in todays environment and global warming debates, here's a look at why:

From the article:

Every day, you have a close personal encounter with methane, a key ingredient of something we don't usually mention in polite company: farts.

Perhaps that's why methane is also called "natural gas." Unfortunately, neither propriety nor intestinal discipline can suppress its unpleasantness lately, because now not just us, but the Earth itself is farting.

Recently, three new craters, one of which measured approximately 100 feet wide and over 200 feet deep, were discovered in the Siberian permafrost. The explanation for them is even more alarming than asteroid strikes: Apparently, after two consecutive summers averaging 5 degrees Celsius hotter than normal, frozen methane is not merely thawing, it's exploding.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/12/opinion/weisman-craters-methane/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

[Lilly]

So now the Earth needs Beano!

[StRoostifer]

Any chance these blasts could be a result from decades of removing oil from the earth and the earth is heating up? I always looked at oil as a coolant for this planet. But I'm a car nerd so...

[lightly]

Living near many many gas wells .. i can't believe i never knew that 'natural gas' is about 75% Methane . ... but ya, all of the methane being released from permafrosts could be problematic , in contributing to Climate change (global warming to those not afraid of using the term)

[+OverSword]

There are theories about how large enough releases of methane from permafrost of sea ice could cause super storms that would last months at a time.

[Crabby Kitten]

Everyone farts.

[Babe Ruth]

Any chance these blasts could be a result from decades of removing oil from the earth and the earth is heating up? I always looked at oil as a coolant for this planet. But I'm a car nerd so...

Last year or so I caught a piece on TV showing 2 or 3 Russians walking through part of a Siberian forest with a snow covered ground. They would dig around through the snow and uncover some sort of small hole in the snow, one guy with a shovel and the other with a torch. The torch was placed near the hole after some digging, and it would light off, holding a flame for seconds to minutes.

[StRoostifer]

Last year or so I caught a piece on TV showing 2 or 3 Russians walking through part of a Siberian forest with a snow covered ground. They would dig around through the snow and uncover some sort of small hole in the snow, one guy with a shovel and the other with a torch. The torch was placed near the hole after some digging, and it would light off, holding a flame for seconds to minutes.

Sounds like they were burning the methane as it leaked out to prevent the methane from getting into the air and accumulating. This is what done at landfills to burn off the methane gas that garbage puts out as it decomposes.

[questionmark]

It ate at Taco Bell?

[BiffSplitkins]

It ate at Taco Bell?

The earth would be spewing much more than just gasses if that were the case.

[libstaK]

Ok so I kept the title CNN ran with both because it was amusing and that it drew attention to the article. The second part is the most important, it's worth reading and treating seriously.

Honestly, there are only so many fart jokes before it starts to not be so funny anymore, I hope we can progress to some real discussion otherwise the thread may become pointless.

[StRoostifer]

OK, a 100 x200 ft hole is a big one. I do not doubt that there was an explosion outward as they found pieces of the ground flung out away from the hole. Such a hole would have a heck of an explosion. That said, one might think such a powerful explosion would be picked up by seismometers somewhere wouldn't they? Anyone read anything elsewhere indicating seismometers picked up the blast?

[Ichihara]

why earth is farting? well because it produce methan from day one. sort of like we are.

[questionmark]

OK, a 100 x200 ft hole is a big one. I do not doubt that there was an explosion outward as they found pieces of the ground flung out away from the hole. Such a hole would have a heck of an explosion. That said, one might think such a powerful explosion would be picked up by seismometers somewhere wouldn't they? Anyone read anything elsewhere indicating seismometers picked up the blast?

A hole does not have to be caused by an explosion, it could have been a rather slow process of gas "bubbling" up the surface and then breaking it open... it would not even cause a loud rumbling.

[StRoostifer]

A hole does not have to be caused by an explosion, it could have been a rather slow process of gas "bubbling" up the surface and then breaking it open... it would not even cause a loud rumbling.

That's a good point. I guess I was thinking it was more pressurized than it was but a slow process makes much more sense. Thank you sir.

[questionmark]

That's a good point. I guess I was thinking it was more pressurized than it was but a slow process makes much more sense. Thank you sir.

It took me a while to get over the "Hollywood deformation" where, if it does not explode it does not exist.

[shrooma]

Honestly, there are only so many fart jokes before it starts to not be so funny anymore, I hope we can progress to some real discussion otherwise the thread may become pointless.

.

farts are intrinsically funny.

even when you fart when you're alone you'll have a little chuckle.

.

or is that just me.....

.

[BiffSplitkins]

.

farts are intrinsically funny.

even when you fart when you're alone you'll have a little chuckle.

.

or is that just me.....

.

You are not alone my friend.

[Babe Ruth]

Sounds like they were burning the methane as it leaked out to prevent the methane from getting into the air and accumulating. This is what done at landfills to burn off the methane gas that garbage puts out as it decomposes.

Yes, landfills here in Florida also have the plumbing for the methane gas escape. Rather permanent torches.

But the video from Siberia seemed to be more just a few "scientists" or whatever out demonstrating the effect for the camera. It was quite impressive considering the ground was covered with thick snow.