Chasing Hydrogen

Sometimes described as a miracle solution to the climate crisis, sometimes as an ecological mirage, hydrogen is above all a mystery, for the general public and researchers alike. In recent years, hydrogen has become a real social issue.

But while the hydrogen we produce is manufactured at the cost of heavy pollution, scientists have recently discovered a natural, non-CO₂ emitting hydrogen that is believed to be present in considerable quantities in the depths of the Earth. To such an extent that some industrialists no longer hesitate to speak of a "new oil".

But what do we really know about this gas? Where and in what form is it stored? What physical or chemical mechanisms are responsible for its formation? What role does it play in biological cycles? Is it a finite or renewable energy?

The race is on to expand our knowledge, before industry gets hold of the resource. Current scientific missions promise a better understanding of our planet's mechanisms, at a time when it is becoming crucial to reconcile the exploitation of resources with the preservation of living organisms.