From the permafrost, the neurotoxin thaws methylmercury

See researcher Ruth Varner and reindeer owner Tomas Kuhmunen on methylmercury and climate impact in the clip above.

There has been a lot of talk lately about methane being released when the permafrost thaws and contributes even more to global warming and the climate crisis.

But it is also about mercury.

- Mercury is also stored, like carbon, in the permafrost.

When the permafrost melts, microbes that act with the previously frozen mercury are activated so that methylmercury is formed.

It is very volatile and can travel long distances with the wind, says Ruth Varner, American researcher on site in Abisko.

Read more about the research at SVT News.

- It can have enormous consequences.

It's like with everything else, you get worried, says Tomas Kuhmunen, reindeer owner in Gabna Sami village.

Ruth Varner and her research group now want to look further at how this affects animals, people and nature, and want to collaborate with Gabna Sami village in the research project.

- It is positive that they want to do research with us.

But we are heavily burdened with work now.

We will talk to the municipality, the county administrative board, LKAB, the Swedish Transport Administration, and it takes time.

So I can not answer now if there is time, answers Tomas Kuhmunen, reindeer owner in Gabna Sami village.

See more about research in the Arctic and Sápmi on Saturday for 

at

16.05 on SVT2 or on SVT Play.

See also SVT Nyheter Special: Get an overview of the climate right now