New research from the University of California-Riverside suggests that Methane, a greenhouse gas, may not be as harmful to the climate as previously thought. The study found that methane has the ability to absorb short-wave energy, creating cooling clouds that can offset 30% of its own heat. The gas also creates more low-level clouds that offset short-wave energy from the sun, and less high-level clouds that increase the outward radiation of long-wave energy. Methane's greenhouse effect is 34 times more than that of CO2, but accounts for just 10% of US emissions. Its lifespan in terms of its impact on climate is around nine years.

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