The podcast spotlights fungi’s planetary regulatory functions, highlighting their latent economic value for agriculture, carbon markets and sustainable materials
Executive summary: The Guardian published a podcast featuring Dr Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist and founder of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, who describes fungi as an invisible force protecting the planet. By framing fungal networks as providers of essential ecosystem services, the podcast highlights their potential economic relevance for sustainable agriculture, carbon sequestration markets and bio‑based materials.
Who is involved: Dr Toby Kiers (evolutionary biologist, founder of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks) and The Guardian (publisher).
Likely next: Greater attention from investors, researchers and policymakers toward mycelium‑based technologies, soil health initiatives and fungal carbon credit projects.
The Guardian’s podcast features evolutionary biologist Toby Kiers arguing that fungal networks constitute a critical, yet overlooked, planetary safeguard. She emphasizes that mycelial connections underpin soil health, carbon storage and plant resilience, functions that translate into tangible economic value for agriculture and climate mitigation. The episode aims to broaden public awareness of fungi’s role beyond decomposition, positioning them as active contributors to ecosystem stability. No policy announcements or commercial initiatives are mentioned in the excerpt.
Timeline
- — Fungi: the invisible force protecting our planet – podcast (The Guardian — Science)
Sources
Open the full interactive case file on Beyond →
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