The article focuses on research into how great an impact thawing permafrost in arctic regions may have on climate change. It states nearly 1,450 bill ion metric tons of organic carbon is be found in the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region and mentions as permafrost thaws, frozen soil microbes reactivate and start decomposing animal and plant remains in the frozen soil, emitting methane and carbon dioxide. It considers the impact extensive plant growth could have on permafrost carbon release.