Global Map of the Underground Fungal Network Published

Paris – 20 June 2026: Scientists recently published a comprehensive map of the underground fungal network, stretching over 450 million trillion km, equivalent to about half the width of our Milky Way. This network, also known as the mycorrhizal network, consists of tiny threads called hyphae that run through the soil and play an important role in ecosystems.

The Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) created this map by collecting 2.8 billion DNA sequences from around the world. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of this network and promote its protection. The mycorrhizal network enables the exchange of nutrients and information between plants and fungi and is therefore essential for crop health and growth.

The discovery of this enormous network highlights the complexity and scale of underground ecosystems. It shows the close connection between plants and fungi, as well as the importance of these relationships for the survival of many species. Research in this field could help develop more sustainable agricultural practices and preserve biodiversity.

SPUN emphasizes that protecting underground networks is important not only for the environment but also for human society. By improving our understanding of and protecting these networks, we can help maintain biodiversity and combat climate change.

This groundbreaking discovery opens up many new prospects for ecological research and underscores the need to better understand and protect underground habitats. Future studies will focus on precisely deciphering how this network functions and further investigating its role in different ecosystems.

The publication of this map is an important step forward in underground biodiversity research and could have far-reaching effects on environmental science. It reminds us of the still little-known complexities of nature’s relationships and the importance of understanding and preserving them.

Overall, this discovery demonstrates the astonishing complexity and scale of underground habitats and emphasizes the need to better understand and protect them. It opens up new opportunities for ecological research and could contribute to the development of sustainable practices in agriculture and nature conservation.

SPUN plans to continue its research and collect additional data to obtain a more detailed picture of the underground fungal network. This could help better understand the role of these networks in the global carbon cycle and assess their importance for climate change.