What is methane? What does it do to the Earth?

Question

Does it hurt the Earth or does it help? Any links?

Answer 1

methane has a very high global warming potential meaning that it speeds up global warming. methane is an alkane ( 4 hydrogens single covalently bonded to one carbon atom ) and is basically a gas/ fuel

Answer 2

Methane is CH4, one carbon with 4 Hydrogens.  It is the simplest of the hydrocarbons.  It is toxic for people and animals to breathe, but I can't think of any direct effect on the Earth, only on the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.  

Billions of years ago, much of the atmosphere was made up of methane.  It is also a large part of the gas passed by people and animals.

Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere for approximately 9-15 years. Methane is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in ...

www.epa.gov/methane/