Earth's underground fungal network is so massive, it would span 10% of the Milky Way, map reveals
- On Thursday, June 11, 2026, researchers published a study in the journal Science revealing the first global map of underground arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks stretching 110 quadrillion kilometers through Earth's topsoil.
- These symbiotic fungi are critical for planetary health, shuttling around 4 billion metric tons of carbon annually—equal to 11% of human emissions—while supporting trade relationships with roughly 70% of plant species.
- While wild grasslands—including the Florida Everglades—contain around 40% of global fungal biomass, cultivated croplands show roughly 50% lower densities, likely due to fertilizers, fungicides, and tilling practices.
- Evolutionary ecologist Justin Stewart and colleagues argue these maps are 'urgently needed' to inform biodiversity conservation and agricultural management, helping policymakers identify where fungi thrive and require protection.
- Researchers created supplemental 'maps of ignorance' to guide future efforts, with plans to update the database within five years to address challenges from food security to climate change.
60 Articles
60 Articles
The first global mapping of mycorrhizal arbuscular fungi reveals the magnitude of the hyphae systems that support plant lifeMushroom networks: this is how the underground internet of plants works According to a new and revolutionary study, the soils of our planet contain enough underground fungi—which support plant life and help regulate the climate—so that their extension would reach the distance between Earth and the Sun almost 750 million tim…
A team of scientists created the first global map of what is considered the “circulatory system” of the Earth, a network of underground fungi that, if the filaments were placed one after the other, would extend for about 110 billion kilometers.It is an essential system for tasks such as soil fertility, nutrient recycling and carbon capture.These elements, known as mycorrhizal shrub fungi, stick to the roots of plants and send filaments through t…
Mushroom networks under the ground form a gigantic invisible biological infrastructure that connects plants, transports nutrients and helps capture carbon. An international study has just calculated their true size for the first time, revealing figures that challenge any previous estimate. Researchers found that these underground structures reach an extent of 110 billion kilometers, store huge amounts of carbon and play an essential role for bio…
Beneath our feet lies a fungal superhighway stretching 68 quadrillion miles
Beneath our feet lies a vast hidden fungal superhighway that helps sustain much of life on Earth—and scientists have now mapped it for the first time. Researchers estimate that these underground networks stretch an astonishing 110 quadrillion kilometers, move about 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide into soils each year, and play a major role in supporting plants and regulating the climate.
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