Fascinating Fungi | A Hidden World Beneath Our Feet - Vasilis Kokkoris

Beneath our feet lies a hidden world of mycorrhizal fungal networks spanning up to 110 quadrillion kilometres, enough to stretch from Earth to the Sun nearly a billion times. These fungal networks have been part of a 450-million-year-old symbiotic relationship with plants, exchanging essential nutrients for carbon. Together they are vital for keeping earth a livable place for all species. New technologies now allow us to enter this hidden world and watch it in action.

Vasilis Kokkoris is a leading researcher in this field. He uses high-resolution microscopy and advanced imaging to study how fungal cells grow and form complex networks. Through laboratory and field experiments, he explores how these networks interact with plants and bacteria, and how these interactions influence plant growth and entire ecosystems.

Photography: Vasilis Kokkoris