# Are Microbes Driving Methane Levels Higher in the Atmosphere? 🌍

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/are-microbes-driving-methane-levels-higher-in-the-atmosphere/295424>\
**Category:** News & Articles\
**Tags:** tools, news\
**Created:** [November 9, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/are-microbes-driving-methane-levels-higher-in-the-atmosphere/295424 "2024-11-09T17:34:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheJoker](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/thejoker/32/22660_2.png) [@TheJoker](https://onehack.st/u/TheJoker)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/are-microbes-driving-methane-levels-higher-in-the-atmosphere/295424/1 "2024-11-09T17:34:44Z")

</div>

**Summary:**

1. **Rising Methane**  
Scientists have linked the recent surge in atmospheric methane to microbial activity, with **wetlands** and other natural sources potentially releasing more methane as temperatures rise.

2. **New Findings**  
A study led by **Sylvia Michel** found that methane has been getting progressively “lighter” in recent years, a sign that microbial sources, rather than fossil fuels, are behind much of the increase.

3. **Microbial Impact**  
Microbes like **archaea** —found in cow stomachs, wetlands, and agricultural fields—produce lighter methane, contrasting with methane from fossil fuels, which contains a heavier carbon isotope.

4. **Worsening Feedback**  
Researchers warn that the warming of wetlands could create a feedback loop, where higher temperatures lead to more methane being released, further intensifying global warming.

5. **Call for Action**  
Although microbial methane release is natural, experts stress that humans must curb emissions from sources they control, like **fossil fuels** and **agriculture** , to avoid worsening climate scenarios.

**Read more at:** [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/scientists-may-have-figured-out-why-a-potent-greenhouse-gas-is-rising-the-answer-is-scary/ar-AA1ttGxX)