Scientists Create First Global Map of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Networks
Scientists have created the first-ever global map of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks. These fungi form extensive underground networks of hyphae, with estimates of their total length varying across reports.
Scientists have created the first-ever global map of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks. These fungi form an underground network of hyphae that, if connected in a single line, would stretch to the sun and back more than a billion times, according to multiple sources. Accounts differ on the total length of these networks: one report states the networks extend 110 quadrillion kilometers, while another cites 68 quadrillion miles. Both figures are quantitatively incompatible with the 'sun and back more than a billion times' estimate. One outlet, Ars Technica, reported that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks are long enough to reach beyond the Solar System, though this claim is not corroborated by other sources. The networks are extensive and play a role in climate regulation.
This account was written only from facts that survived Augur's
corroboration pass — 2 corroborated across opposed news blocs,
3 contested (attributed to both sides), 1
single-source (attributed). Nothing was added; no significance was inferred.
Model Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Instruct.
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