Lake Kivu in East Africa holds vast quantities of dissolved carbon dioxide and methane in its depths. Unlike other volcanic lakes, the presence of combustible methane combined with tectonic instability creates a risk of a massive gas release that could impact both local populations and the atmosphere. Understanding the stability of these gas-rich lakes is critical for regional safety and climate monitoring. A sudden release would not only be a humanitarian disaster but would also shoot gigatonnes of greenhouse gases into the air.
