Accidental methane leak in South China Sea spurs rapid deep-sea methane-eating ecosystem
An unintended drilling in 2018 released methane in the South China Sea; within 1–2 years a methane-consuming microbial ecosystem formed far faster than the typical 60–100 years, aided by burrowing worms that created a living filter, reducing the methane plume and reshaping the local seabed ecology—yet some leaks persisted and the broader climate implications remain complex.