Cows and other livestock emit a surprisingly large quantity of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Globally, the livestock sector accounts for the equivalent of seven gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. To put that in perspective, that is 15% of all emissions linked with human activities, and it is comparable to the amount emitted by cars.

This video looks at how scientists are involved in both quantifying the problem and providing solutions. To find out more, read the article ‘Battling bovine belching: measuring methane emissions from cows’ by science writer Michael Allen, originally published in the April 2021 issue of Physics World.