A lot of carbon stored inside the Earth may soon re-enter the atmosphere, according to a new, global study on soil-based carbon. The massive release of carbon could be the equivalent of adding another fully industrialized country the size of the United States to the map over the coming decades.
Plants, animals, and microbes absorb much of the carbon dioxide released into the Earth's atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. As these plants and animals die, their carbon-based bodies become part of the soil, storing the equivalent of millions of tons of greenhouse gases in the dirt. As atmospheric carbon dioxide is a primary driver of climate change, some have pointed to this soil absorption as a helpful carbon sink, somewhat alleviating the human-caused warming of the planet. But as surface temperatures continue to rise, a lot of the carbon stored in the soil may be set to re-enter the atmosphere in a big way.
Some of the skateboarder’s stored chemical energy is being used to fuel muscle movement. This movement would also involve a release of thermal energy by the skateboarder.
