Fungi are said to be highly important to ecosystems; chief among their contributions is shuffling around nutrients through fungal networks, which is very helpful in areas with poor soil quality. Because of this importance, scientists have begun to map out fungal networks across the globe more thoroughly. Curiously, the areas with large fungal networks—like the Israeli Negev desert, the western Sahara Desert, and the Canadian tundra—have poor soils or appear lifeless despite the critical and ever-present underground activity vital to these ecosystems. Read full article here
Research
Researcher uses AI to make texts that are thousands of years old readable
The Gilgamesh Epic, the oldest work of world literature, has been brought back to life by LMU researchers in the Electronic Babylonian Literature project. Using their new Fragmentarium tool, they have discovered hundreds of manuscripts, including the most recent tablet of the Gilgamesh Epic which dates from 130 BC – thousands of years after the earliest known version. This shows how highly valued the Epic was, even at a late period. With the public release of the Fragmentarium, anyone can now explore the thousands of cuneiform fragments and explore the ancient Babylonian literature. Read full article here
Merv
March 12, 2023
