The simplest hydrocarbon (CH4), one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogens; it is the main component of natural gas and a greenhouse gas far stronger than carbon dioxide, making it a frequent topic in climate change discussions.
More than 90% of the methanecattle produce escapes through belching, not flatulence. Anaerobic microbes in the rumen ferment grass and generate methane, which exits primarily through the mouth.
Deep inside Uranus and Neptune, it may rain diamonds. Crushing pressure squeezes hydrocarbons like methane, stripping out carbon that hardens into diamonds and sinks toward the core. In 2017, an X-ray laser that flash-compressed hydrocarbons made diamonds, backing this old idea.