'This could have implications for our understanding of the earth's carbon cycle and global warming.' Juanes explained that some of the naturally occurring underground methane exists not as gas but as methane hydrate,' said an MIT release.

In the hydrate phase, a methane gas molecule is locked inside a crystalline cage of frozen water molecules. Methane hydrates will remain stable as long as the external pressure remains high and the temperature low.

These findings appeared in the online version of the Journal of Geophysical Research.