Scientists are concerned about the ways that human pollution may affect our environment, since we dump so many chemicals into the air and water. Atmospheric scientists are especially concerned about carbon dioxide, methane, and other gasses that could change how much heat the atmosphere absorbs from the sun. If the temperature of the atmosphere changes by even a few degrees, it could have a big effect on how crops grow, how often we have hurricanes and typhoons, and many other things. Microbes are an important part of the picture, and one that we don't understand very well. As we've seen in Ooze City, some of the microbes take in oxygen from the air, and others generate hydrogen sulfide which escapes into the air.
Microbes also take in carbon dioxide, and give off methane.
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