Mapping the Massive Fungus: Nature's Giant Revealed
In Oregon's Blue Mountains, the Humongous Fungus, a massive Armillaria ostoyae colony, is possibly the largest and oldest living organism on Earth, covering up to 3.7 square miles and weighing as much as 27,000 metric tons. This subterranean fungus, known for its honey mushrooms, kills trees by colonizing their roots. Its vast size and age, potentially up to 8,600 years, make it a unique ecological phenomenon, though its exact dimensions and impact remain subjects of scientific study.