Colossal explosions shake a remote corner of the Siberian tundra, leaving behind massive sinkholes. In Alaska, a huge lake erupts with bubbles of inflammable gas. Scientists are discovering that these mystifying phenomena add up to a ticking time bomb, as long-frozen permafrost melts and releases vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. What are the implications of these dramatic developments in the Arctic? Scientists and local communities alike are struggling to grasp the scale of the methane threat and what it means for our climate future.

Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3AOUzLz

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:22 Giant Sinkhole in Siberia

05:54 Evidence of Methane in Sinkholes

09:02 Alaskan Lake Bubbling

14:47 Effects of Permafrost Thaw on Climate

17:26 Native Alaskan Solutions to Permafrost

21:37 Organic Matter Impacted by Permafrost

24:44 Greenhouse Gasses Emitted from Permafrost Thaw

33:37 Fossil Methane in Earth’s Crust

42:19 Arctic Regions are Sinking

47:47 How Communities are Finding Solutions to Permafrost Melting

50:15 Conclusion

(Premiered Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 9PM ET on PBS.)