The Nature of Things The Kingdom: How Fungi Made Our World

In a world where plants often get all the attention, fungi are quietly working behind the scenes to support life on Earth in ways both astonishing and underappreciated. From the frozen landscapes of Antarctica to the nuclear reactors that line our planet's surface, fungi have adapted and thrived, with some species even living inside our lungs and coating our skin with their mycelium. A closer look at these mysterious organisms reveals a kingdom that is at once beautiful and profound, holding secrets to medical breakthroughs and ecological solutions that could change the course of human history.