The Tiny Rock-Eating Pioneers That Built Earth’s Soil for 400 Million Years
For 400 million years, lichens have been Earth’s unsung heroes, slowly but steadily dissolving solid rock with powerful acids to create the soil that supports all terrestrial life. These remarkable fungus-algae partnerships have transformed our planet from a barren, rocky world into one capable of supporting lush ecosystems through their patient, chemical rock-breaking work.
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