Posted on 06/21/2004 10:52:43 AM PDT by presidio9
Scientists have developed a serum to reduce methane gas in burping sheep, cows and other ruminants to combat global warming, a German magazine reported on Monday.
The Hanover-based monthly Technology Review will report in its July issue that Andre-Denis Wright, a molecular biologist at Australia's CSIRO Institute, has found a vaccine that reduced the methane emissions of sheep by eight percent.
The magazine said that scientists believe the amounts can be reduced even further and more testing is planned.
Sheep produce 20 grams of methane each day, or seven kg per year, the magazine with 80,000 subscribers reported. Cows produce about 114 kg per year of methane (CH4) -- a gas 21 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for driving up temperatures.
Much of the methane gas comes from agriculture, such as livestock emissions from cows and sheep, and waste dumps.
ping
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
FMCDH(BITS)
I believe termites also contribute heavily to the methane supply. Setting aside the surface silliness, who's gonna tell the farmers in the developing world that they need to plug up their livestock?
Much ado about mutton.
This kind of stuff is remarkable. Here we are, all in a tizzy about sheep burping.
What are the guesstimates of how many buffalo were on the hoof in central US at the peak? Something like 60-70 million?
At 1500 lbs each, no doubt they burped and crapped alot. Boy, it oughta be a whole lot hotter now...
The amount of burpage pales in comparison to whats buried on the ocean floor in the sediments, hell, one good volcanic event could do more than all the cows and sheep ever did in all of history.
You're baaa-aaad.
I need to see about getting some of this stuff for my husband...
Don't need no serum. Need a grill.
Thankewe.
Boy, was Gore off the mark? While I'm all happy about having solved global warming and all, how about something useful. Got anything that keeps dogs from farting while they're sleeping at the end of the bed?
And I thought it was tough burping a baby.
I just find it remarkable that some "scientist" has enough time on his hands to tackle this vaunting task. Not to mention the fact that such a pressing problem got it's desperately needed funding.
Don't forget the dinosaurs. What about elephants, rinos, etc. Why aren't the environmentalists screaming about all the large zoos? They hold lots of animals that burp and fart, they should be considered an environmental hazard.
Global warming solved. Next problem ?
Wait! We might have something here. If we can ignite the methane, we may be able to finally achieve Ovine Aviation! Think of the enormous commercial possibilities!
Global warming theory is nothing more than an international wealth redistribution scam. The same nutjobs who complain about cow farts also like to point out that the American plains were black with bison before evil white men came along and murdered every last one of them for their tongues and ears.
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