An editorial in the October 2026 issue of Eos makes the case that peatlands are far more than soggy ground. Ecologist Merritt Turetsky calls them "storytellers about Earth's history" and early human societies. The editorial points to "bog bodies"—human remains preserved for hundreds or thousands of years by the unique combination of temperature, moisture, and chemistry in peat—as a striking example of this archival power. These mummies are not just scientific specimens; they also raise important questions about the rights of Indigenous peoples historically excluded from Western research.
The same peatlands that hold human memories also record deep planetary history. One featured study describes how sediment cores from Antarctica show the continent once hosted temperate rainforests that later became peatlands, with wildfires burning there 90 million years ago. This ancient record helps scientists understand how ecosystems respond to major climate shifts.
Looking forward, the editorial offers cautious optimism. Recent research on restored peatlands suggests they could become carbon sinks within decades, and a separate study found that solar panels installed over degraded peatland boosted bird biodiversity. As author Annie Proulx puts it, wetlands are "unsung heroes" in the climate crisis. The editorial urges readers to see peatlands not as wastelands but as living archives and potential allies in a warming world.