Sediments are more than just layers of mud on the ground. They can reveal a wealth of information about landscapes from millions of years ago right up to the present day. To delve into those layers, scientists like me collect samples by sediment coring in peat bogs, lakes, saltmarshes and deep oceans.
This involves inserting specialist coring equipment with tubing or a chamber to collect the sediment, and then pulling it out of the ground and taking it away for further analyses. Depths of cores vary from a few meters to hundreds of meters.
The sediment colour and composition of each layer in the samples can show what the past climate was like. Dark, organic materials suggest a warm and wet climate. Lighter sediments made up of more minerals and less organic matter suggest a cold and dry climate.
