Peat

Guest: Jonathan E Nichols, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University Let’s talk about peat. It’s a strange, miraculous thing. Bodies buried in peat bogs end up so well-preserved their faces and clothing are completely intact. Google “Bog Bodies” and you’ll see what I mean. It’s wild stuff. But peatlands are more than just ancient burial grounds. They’re also a really important part of the Earth’s system for keeping carbon dioxide levels in balance. In fact, they’re way more important than previously thought, based on calculations published recently in the journal Nature. (Originally aired Nov 14, 2019).