2min chapter

Catalyst with Shayle Kann cover image

Why methane matters

Catalyst with Shayle Kann

CHAPTER

The Methane Sink Is a Conversion

The methane sink is quite different than the CO2 sink and that the methane sink is a conversion. 90% of methane ends up being what's called oxidized by something called the hydroxyl radical in the atmosphere. And so this is a chemical reaction that is naturally occurring that is converting methane to CO2 and water. The bad news is that they're not keeping up. So we do see that methane is increasing in the atmosphere and accumulating there.

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Botanose
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dolphins can detect weak electric fields, which helps them to find prey buried in the sand and avoid predators. Researchers worked with two dolphins, training the animals to place their snouts near two submerged electrodes that generate an electric field. The dolphins learned to leave the experimental apparatus within five seconds if they felt an electric field, and to remain in place for more than 12 seconds if they did not. Through trials, the pair showed that they could sense direct current electric fields as finked as 2.4 and 5.5 microvolts per centimeter. The team suggests that with this sensory skill, botanose dolphins can detect fish at a distance of 3 to 7 centimeters, useful for finding prey buried in the sea floor. They also predict that the animal's ability to detect electric fields could enable them to use cues from the earth's magnetic field to navigate the ocean. Navigate to the Journal of Experimental Biology to read that paper in full.
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Historically, the ways that nations have often reduced poverty has meant more emissions. Bad news
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for the climate,
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but ending poverty is an important goal. So that begs the question, is it possible to end poverty without making climate change worse? Well, a new analysis in nature tries to model the relationship between emissions and wealth. Reporter Alex Lathridge is here with more.

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