Hidden Arctic Ecosystem Alarms Scientists: Methane, Oil, Strange Life Found Deep in Greenland Sea

• Scientists discovered Freya Hydrate Mounds, a new ecosystem at 3,640m in the Greenland Sea, the deepest gas hydrate cold seep ever found.
• The site is rich in methane gas, crude oil, and unique chemosynthetic life forms thriving in complete darkness.
• Massive methane plumes, up to 3,300 meters tall, are rising from the mounds, raising significant climate concerns due to methane's greenhouse effect.
• The discovery challenges geological assumptions and highlights the fragility of these ecosystems, especially with warming oceans and potential deep-sea mining.
• Understanding these dynamic, methane-rich deposits is crucial for predicting and mitigating future climate risks.

Why It Matters: Deep Arctic discovery of methane-rich Freya Hydrate Mounds alarms scientists due to climate risks and unique life.