This map shows a hidden underground circulatory system | Marvin Liyanage @marvinliyanage
New research reveals that global underground fungal networks sequester nearly double the carbon dioxide stored by rainforests like the Amazon, amounting to 13 gigatons of CO2 annually. These networks, found in regions such as Tibet, Sudan, and Florida, exchange nutrients with plants while storing carbon in stable protein packets within the soil. Despite their critical role in climate regulation, 90% of these systems remain unprotected because they are invisible to satellite monitoring. Consequently, grasslands where these networks thrive are being destroyed at four times the rate of rainforests, creating a significant blind spot in global carbon accounting.
This one got me
The Matilda effect describes a systemic pattern where women perform critical research while men receive the primary recognition and rewards. Dr. Rosalind Franklin generated the essential X-ray diffraction images of DNA, yet two male colleagues appropriated the data to secure fame and a Nobel Prize while she died of cancer. This historical case illustrates how gender bias distorts scientific attribution and prevents women from receiving due professional credit for their contributions.