Scientists find peat bog as large as England in Republic of Congo

Researchers at the University of Leeds have discovered a swath of peatland in the Republic of Congo as large as England, according to National Public Radio. The carbon-rich area, they say, could shed light on 10,000 years of environmental change.

The peat sits some 7 meters below tropical forests and wetlands in the area and preserves decayed plant material that may hold clues to what the climate was like thousands of years ago. Scientists say the wet conditions surrounding the peat bog helped preserve it for all that time.

With satellite technology that exists today, it’s surprising the peatland had not been discovered sooner. Researchers at the university say the forests sitting above it helped conceal its existence.