The Mystery of Methane Hydrate

In this short documentary film, follow scientists as they embark on a mission to take core samples of methane hydrate, a mysterious form of frozen gas and one of the largest caches of carbon in the world.

The film includes interviews with the mission's chief scientist Peter Flemings and others from the U.S. Geological Survey, The Ohio State University, the University of Washington, Oregon State University and the University of New Hampshire as they prepare for the mission and head offshore to conduct science at sea.

Globally, methane hydrate is one of the largest caches of carbon in the world, holding up to 10 times as much carbon as the atmosphere. The substance is energy rich and a potent greenhouse gas. The cores recovered during this mission can help answer important questions about how methane hydrate works at a fundamental level and the effects it could have on the energy landscape, climate and environment.

A special thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy for supporting the mission.

More on the methane hydrate mission: https://www.jsg.utexas.edu/news/2023/...