Underneath every healthy forest is a hidden internet made of fungus. Most tree roots are tangled up with thread-like fungi called mycorrhizae. The fungi help trees suck up water and minerals, and in return trees feed them sugar. But the network does much more than swap snacks.
Big “mother trees” use the fungal web to send extra sugar to small seedlings struggling in the shade. When an old tree is dying, it dumps its leftover carbon into the network as a sort of goodbye gift to its neighbours. Some research even suggests trees can recognise their own kin and feed them first.
Even more amazing: when a tree is attacked by aphids or caterpillars, it pumps warning chemicals down its roots into the fungal network. Nearby trees pick up the signal and start producing nasty defence compounds before the bugs even reach them. It’s basically a forest-wide text message system.
