Earth's Underground Fungus Network Is So Gigantic That If You Stretched It Out, It Would Reach to Other Star Systems
Futurism • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists have mapped the Earth’s entire underground fungal network, revealing it to be so vast that if stretched out, it would span about 12,000 light years, roughly a tenth of the Milky Way galaxy's diameter.
- The global fungal network, primarily composed of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, weighs around 300 megatons, which is four to six times the biomass of all humans, and plays a crucial role in nutrient circulation, water regulation, and carbon storage.
- Approximately 70% of terrestrial plant life depends on these fungi, with about 40% of the fungal mass found in high-altitude or flooded grasslands, which are rapidly disappearing due to human activity.
- Researchers used data from over 16,000 soil samples and machine learning models to estimate fungal density, finding that fungal networks are about half as dense in agricultural soils, though the overall health of these networks remains uncertain.
- The study highlights the importance of protecting underground fungal ecosystems, especially wild grasslands, to preserve their vital ecological functions and combat environmental degradation.
