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| Study reveals that undersea animals fart; producing greenhouse gas |
| 2009-03-03 |
| Freshly harvested mussels being processed at a farm. Humans and farm animals were known to emit harmful greenhouse gases through digestion, but German researchers said Tuesday that mussels, freshwater snails and other underwater creatures are also culprits, releasing laughing gas. Humans and farm animals were known to emit harmful greenhouse gases through digestion, but German researchers said Tuesday that aquatic worms and bugs are also culprits, releasing laughing gas. Scientists at the Max Planck Institut and Denmark's Aarhus University found that mussels, freshwater snails and other underwater creatures release nitrous oxide -- laughing gas -- when nitrate is present in water. "There's nitrate in water that has been polluted by humans, so the more we pollute, the higher the production of this problematic gas will be," Fanni Aspetsberger from the institute told AFP on Tuesday. Aspetsberger added that no quantitative data were available, but that it could be "seriously detrimental" to the climate if nitrate pollution continues to rise the way it has over recent years. Laughing gas is one of many greenhouse gasses that has been released into the atmosphere since industrialisation. Such gasses act as a blanket around the Earth, causing temperatures to rise worldwide. Rising temperatures have already had disastrous consequences for mankind -- including major disruptions to global weather systems -- and problems are expected to become worse in the future. The main reason for global warming though, is the release of another greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, by the burning of fossil fuels. World leaders aim to strike a new global climate deal in Copenhagen in December. |
| Posted by:Speling Angains8046 |
| #10 Does it smell fishy? I need a multimillion $ |
| Posted by: ed 2009-03-03 21:44 |
| #9 Fanni Aspetsberger oh please! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-03-03 19:28 |
| #8 In unrelated news, "Obama to Tax Undersea Animals" |
| Posted by: DMFD 2009-03-03 19:17 |
| #7 It also explains all the little bubbles. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2009-03-03 18:10 |
| #6 Nitrous oxide. Hmmmm. That stuffs's hard to make in a chemical plant. The process has a tendency to go BOOM if not properly monitored. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2009-03-03 18:08 |
| #5 "German researchers said Tuesday that mussels, freshwater snails and other underwater creatures are also culprits, releasing laughing gas." No wonder seafood always makes me smile. |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2009-03-03 17:53 |
| #4 I'll bet the Grant proposal on this one was a real hoot! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-03-03 17:38 |
| #3 Don't laugh at Nitrous oxide, people. This is serious. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2009-03-03 16:43 |
| #2 Aspetsberger added that no quantitative data were available, but that it could be "seriously detrimental" to the climate if nitrate pollution continues to rise the way it has over recent years. Hmmmmmmmmm...since no "quantitative data" appears to be available on laughing gas farting shellfish looks like you'll need more money to study laughing gas farting shellfish, eh, Fanni? Looks like you've found your niche in the grant gravy train. And these people wonder why folks doubt them? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-03-03 16:15 |
| #1 That is why I take my blood hound with me so he can sniff out where the bass are... |
| Posted by: Deep Sea Fisherman 2009-03-03 15:55 |