A team of NASA scientists has developed a way to locate underground fungus from space. The information gathered from finding the fungus will help scientists predict how forests are altered due to climate change. Hidden under the soil of each and every forest lies a network of fungus that lives in mutual harmony with their trees. The relationship between trees and these mycorrhizal fungi is a close one. The fungi gather nutrients from the trees in a trade off. Because the fungus responds to climate change, it may help researchers predict where forests are thriving and where they are not. Nearly ever tree has a relationship with this particular form of fungus. Before, the method of creating maps of the forest and the fungus relied on different methods, such as counting the types of tree species. As that cannot be reliable on a large scale, this new satellite imaging method was created in an effort to make things much easier. The imaging makes things quite a bit easier when it comes to finding hidden networks of, underground, fungus.
Because of the work of NASA, we are better able to understand our planet more so than ever before. Projects such as this satellite imaging will only help in improving life on our planet for all living things. NASA doesn’t just explore space, stars, and distant planets; they also use their knowledge in an effort to safeguard our future. This particular data and more are shared around the world with other institutions in an effort to bring all sciences together in a mass web of understanding.
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