Nanobubbles shown to play a driving role in formation, decomposition of methane hydrates

Like the carbon dioxide in a fizzing glass of soda, most bubbles of gas in a liquid don't last long. But nanobubbles persist. These bubbles are thousands of times smaller than the tip of a pencil lead--so small they are invisible even under most optical microscopes--and their stability makes them useful in a variety of applications, from targeted drug delivery to water treatment procedures.