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Health & Science3h 45m ago
For the first time, scientists have produced a global map of the planet’s underground fungal network, which is so immense that, were it stretched out, it would be more than a billion times greater than the distance to the Sun from the Earth.
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global, Netherlands (AMOLF)
Who
scientists, Dr. Justin Stewart (SPUN), Dr. Toby Kiers (SPUN), Dr. Merlin Sheldrake
What
For the first time, scientists have produced a global map of the planet’s underground fungal network, which is so immense that, were it stretched out, it would be more than a billion times greater than the distance to the Sun from the Earth.
When
Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:51:43 GMT · 3h 45m ago
Where
global, Netherlands (AMOLF) ·
Why
This global analysis reveals the vast distribution and critical roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi networks in sequestering carbon and supporting plant life.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This mapping emphasizes the urgent need to protect these critical underground networks, which are being degraded in croplands and unprotected ecosystems, posing risks to global carbon sequestration and plant health.
Story chain
4 events in this thread- Health & Science2h 2m agoScientists have mapped a dense network of thread-like fungi that criss crosses across an array of biomes while hiding just beneath the Earth’s surface.Open article
- Health & Science2h 2m agoScientists have mapped a dense network of thread-like fungi just beneath the Earth’s surface.Open article
- Currently Reading3h 45m agoFor the first time, scientists have produced a global map of the planet’s underground fungal network, which is so immense that, were it stretched out, it would be more than a billion times greater than the distance to the Sun from the Earth.
- Health & Science3h 45m agoScientists have produced the first global map of the planet’s underground fungal network.Open article