sphagnum
SFAG-num
Definition
A type of soft, mossy plant that grows in bogs and acidic wetlands, known for its ability to hold large amounts of water and release compounds that preserve organic matter.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Greek 'sphagnos', a term used by ancient writers for a kind of moss or lichen. It was later adopted into scientific Latin to classify this specific genus of bog moss.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the moss responsible for the unique chemical environment of peat bogs, which allows human bodies to remain preserved for thousands of years.
In 1984, peat cutters in Cheshire hit something rubbery with a mechanical shovel and pulled up a man who had been strangled, struck on the head and dumped in a bog around 60 CE, his skin, stubble, fingernails and stomach contents so well preserved by ac
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com