Episode 3

Impermafrost

All across the Arctic, frozen soil is thawing out. A lot of stuff is buried there – plants and animals that lived more than 10,000 years ago. What happens when a Paleolithic bison bone starts to decompose for the first time? And what does that have to do with climate change?

Transcript

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There is twice as much carbon locked in Arctic permafrost than what is currently floating around in the atmosphere.

There is twice as much carbon locked in Arctic permafrost than what is currently floating around in the atmosphere.

Abisko, Sweden. Photo credit: Amy Martin

Gesche Blume-Werry studies the interaction of plants and permafrost.

Gesche Blume-Werry studies the interaction of plants and permafrost.

Abisko, Sweden. Photo credit: Amy Martin

A group of researchers collect data on methane releases from Arctic lakes and wetlands.

A group of researchers collect data on methane releases from Arctic lakes and wetlands.

Abisko, Sweden. Photo credit: Amy Martin

Methane is a much more potent heat-trapping gas than carbon dioxide when it is first emitted. Later, it breaks down into carbon dioxide.

Methane is a much more potent heat-trapping gas than carbon dioxide when it is first emitted. Later, it breaks down into carbon dioxide.

Abisko, Sweden. Photo credit: Amy Martin

Joachim Jansen is a PhD student at Stockholm University who studies methane releases from Arctic lakes and wetlands.

Joachim Jansen is a PhD student at Stockholm University who studies methane releases from Arctic lakes and wetlands.

Abisko, Sweden. Photo credit: Amy Martin

There is twice as much carbon locked in Arctic permafrost than what is currently floating around in the atmosphere.

Gesche Blume-Werry studies the interaction of plants and permafrost.

A group of researchers collect data on methane releases from Arctic lakes and wetlands.

Methane is a much more potent heat-trapping gas than carbon dioxide when it is first emitted. Later, it breaks down into carbon dioxide.

Joachim Jansen is a PhD student at Stockholm University who studies methane releases from Arctic lakes and wetlands.

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Arctic Lakes and Methane

This short video from NASA explores how Arctic lakes could soon be a major source of atmospheric methane.

PERMAFROST

New data from two Arctic sites suggest some surface layers are no longer freezing. Find out what that means for people experiencing it first-hand and how it could accelerate climate change in this article from National Geographic.

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