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| Sat Aug 10, 1:26 AM ET |
Posted on 08/10/2002 6:06:33 AM PDT by blam
Organism found in Black Sea 'could halt global warming'
German scientists claim to have discovered a methane-eating life form which could halt global warming.
Researchers say it lives in the Black Sea and could be the world's oldest organism at four billion years old.
The team from the Max Planck Society found the micro-organisms at depths where there is no light or oxygen.
The Guardian reports, until now, scientists had thought methane could only be broken down with oxygen.
The German researchers hope the organism could be used to 'eat up' reservoirs of the greenhouse gas which are trapped below the Earth's surface.
Some of the methane is trapped in permafrost and it's feared it could be released as the Earth warms up, adding to pollution problems.
Scientists from Max Planck have worked for two years on the project, with researchers from Hamburg University and the Alfred Wegener Institute in northern Bremerhaven.
Joint author of the study, professor Antje Boetius, said: "Perhaps micro-organisms like those found in the Black Sea were the original inhabitants of the earth. It could be a way of hindering climate catastrophe."
Researchers say the organisms form corals in an area of the Black Sea previously thought to be without life.
Story filed: 08:14 Friday 9th August 2002
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| Sat Aug 10, 1:26 AM ET |
Unfortunately it is an endangered species and can't be utilized.
Yup. That damn 'organism' will eat all our fuel!! (Kill it now!)
"Researchers say the organisms form corals in an area of the Black Sea previously thought to be without life."
I'm losing confidence in these "researchers" daily. "Trust me, there's no life there, but there is global warming, so let's release the microbes."
Hey, what's the worst than can happen? We'll just go back to the "global cooling" scare of the 70's. Follow the money.
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