The mud that could save the world
Knee-deep in muddy water on the rainforest floor, two British scientists strained to drive a long metal instrument between protruding tree roots. In the tropical humidity, probing the swamps was arduous exercise. Four Congolese recruits joined Greta Dargie and Simon Lewis, gave the instrument one last mighty push, and sank it through the muck.
They were searching for peat, a marshy soil made up of partially decomposed organic material that accumulates over centuries. Peatlands are one of the world’s most efficient natural “carbon sinks,” removing carbon from the atmosphere through plant growth. But if the peat is disrupted, the carbon escapes.… Seguir leyendo »