Material World

Quentin Cooper joins scientists from the Open University who are measuring the exchange of methane between plants, soil microogranisms and the atmosphere. Wetlands such as bogs and swamps are home to some special microorganisms which are important producers of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Biogeochemists are trying to better understand the impact of human activities and industrial processes on biological, chemical and geographic systems in the hope that they can find ways to reduce the production of greenhouse gases.