Why is natural gas dangerous to life?

There are innumerable ways that life of various sorts and stages can be endangered by other natural phenomena. In “nature” - undisturbed by man, natural gas is relatively benign. It requires both a specific concentration in air and an ignition source to burn, and an explosion would be very unlikely.

Natural generation of natural gas can be trapped underground in higher concentrations, and only appears on the earth’s surface when there is a vent – as with a volcano – or when it comes from decaying or digested organic material – swamp gas and animal flatulence.

Swamp gas may occasionally ignite spontaneously (“Will ‘o the Wisps” in folklore), but rarely causes any damage. Digestive emissions are rapidly dispersed without any ill effect or potential for harm.

When humans modify the environment by mining or drilling, the potential for releases of much higher volumes and concentrations of natural gas occur. These can indeed be hazardous to the people working in the area (mining in particular) due to the high probability of ignition and explosion in many cases.

Natural gas is dangerous to life primarily due to its flammability and potential for explosions when it accumulates in confined spaces. Additionally, natural gas leaks can lead to oxygen displacement, causing asphyxiation in enclosed areas. Furthermore, natural gas is composed mainly of methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and environmental degradation when released into the atmosphere.