The startling discovery that terrestrial plants produce the greenhouse gas methane is sending scientists in two disciplines, not to mention a few politicians, back to the drawing board.
The newly revealed methane emissions have taken plant physiologists by surprise, because far more energy is required to create methane than, say, carbon dioxide in an oxygenated environment. Climate researchers are also amazed that they could have missed what is potentially a huge methane source — up to a third of all methane produced worldwide (see 'How could we have missed this?').