"Uncovering the Ancient Amazonians' Mysterious 'Dark Earth' for Humanity's Salvation"
Ancient Amazonians are believed to have intentionally created extremely fertile soil known as terra preta, or 'Amazonian dark earth', by enriching it with food scraps, charcoal, and waste over hundreds to thousands of years. This discovery could change our understanding of the region's history and the potential of organic matter vital to human well-being. The unintentional carbon sequestration in this soil has scientists excited about its potential to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, and the study suggests that modern sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation efforts could draw on traditional methods practiced by Indigenous Amazonians.