Mycorrhizal fungi play an essential role in climate regulation and ecosystem health, and researchers have used A.I. to predict the locations that host a high diversity of these underground organisms

Mark Skrobola (MCS@flickr), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons On Friday President Trump fulfilled a campaign promise and signed an executive order (EO) that directs agencies to identify 10 existing…

The Amazon canopy stretches 130–150 feet high with 390 billion trees; 80% of rainforest species live in just 5% of the forest's volume Canopy trees absorb 2 billion metric tons of CO₂ annually and rel

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. The two people shaping the future of OpenAI’s research...

The Amazon canopy stretches 130–150 feet high with 390 billion trees; 80% of rainforest species live in just 5% of the forest's volume Canopy trees absorb 2 billion metric tons of CO₂ annually and rel

A fisherman's foghorn has triggered an international incident over polar bear rights. The fine: $12,000. The diplomatic fallout: still escalating.

A new international study has produced the first global map of the planet’s underground mycorrhizal fungal network, revealing an astonishingly large and complex system that plays a crucial role in sustaining plant life and regulating the Earth’s climate. These fungi, known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, form symbiotic relationships with the roots of most plant species, exchanging nutrients and water for carbon produced through photosynthesis. Researchers compiled data from 322 previous studies and analyzed around 16,000 soil samples from diverse ecosystems worldwide. Using machine learning and advanced imaging techniques, they estimated both the total extent and biomass of this hidden network. The results suggest that the fungal network spans approximately 110 quadrillion kilometers in total length—an almost unimaginable figure that underscores its planetary scale. The biomass of these fungi is estimated at about 300 megatons of carbon, comparable to several times the mass of all humans combined. The study also indicates that these networks transport billions of tons of carbon dioxide into soils annually, accounting for a significant portion of global carbon cycling and potentially around 11 percent of human-related CO2 emissions. Scientists emphasize that these underground systems are essential to ecosystem health, with about 70 percent of plant species depending on them for survival. However, human land use is degrading these networks, particularly in agricultural soils where fungal density is significantly reduced compared to natural ecosystems. Grasslands, which hold a large share of global fungal biomass, are being converted at alarming rates. Researchers warn that weakening these networks could reduce soil fertility and carbon storage capacity, with implications for climate stability and food security. The study highlights the importance of better understanding and protecting this hidden but vital planetary infrastructure.

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The Climate Backtracker identifies steps taken by the Trump-Vance administration to scale back or wholly eliminate federal climate mitigation and adaptation measures. The tracker is linked to our…