Methane Hydrate, Our Long-Term Energy Solution

In recent years, scientists drilling deep into the ocean floor have discovered a mysterious substance that looks and feels like ice, but burns when you put a match to it. And, they’re finding it nearly everywhere they drill. This substance is methane hydrate, a crystalline lattice of water molecules with methane trapped inside. Methane, of course, is natural gas, and it’s an even better fuel than oil since it burns cleaner. How will this trend play itself out? We’ll explain.

In the 1970s, .....