Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at info@reasonstobecheerful.world and we just might feature it here.
Networking
Sixty-eight quadrillion miles: That unfathomable number represents the estimated extent of the network of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi weaving through soil around the world. These filaments form what the New York Times calls the planet’s “hidden circulatory system,” which transports nutrients and stores carbon.
According to the story, which Executive Editor Will Doig shared this week, a new study used machine learning to measure the network and see how it varies from place to place. In particular, the study points to the dense fungal networks found beneath grasslands as an indication of the global importance of these ecosystems as carbon sinks.
Will says:
If you were a fan of our Fungi Week, you’ll appreciate just how central these vast underground filament networks are to the sustainability of our planet, as this fascinating new study reveals.
Good energy
Earlier this month, Europe’s largest residential complex got a lot greener, as Le Monde reports (in French, subscription required) in a story shared by Contributing Editor Peter Yeung. In a first for France, the Parly 2 estate outside Paris switched from natural gas heating to a system in which 70 percent of its heating and hot water is provided by carbon-free geothermal energy.
This is happening as new technological developments are making geothermal more promising than ever, as Peter recently reported for RTBC.
Peter says:
The estate comprises 237 buildings with 7,500 flats and is home to 15,000 residents. While the prospect of saving money convinced the co-owners, the impact on their CO₂ emissions is also significant.
What else we’re reading
Opinion: One City Might Have Just Cracked the Housing Crisis — shared by Contributing Editor Michaela Haas from the New York Times
Could Massachusetts Get Rent Control Back After a 32-Year Ban? — shared by Will Doig from Shelterforce
Kansas City, a Car Town, Spends Millions on World Cup Transit — shared by Editorial Director Rebecca Worby from the New York Times
In other news…
Back in 2023, Contributing Editor Michaela Haas wrote for us about the beginning of an unusual series of musical performances, where audience members lounge on floor mats and participate in mindfulness exercises. As Michaela reported at the time, Carnegie Hall’s Well-Being concerts were inspired by a 2019 World Health Organization report that found that making and listening to music is associated with reduced stress, anxiety and loneliness.
Now, Carnegie Hall has announced its 2026-27 season of Well-Being Concerts starting in October. Read Michaela’s story to learn more and then go see what’s on tap for this season.
The post What We’re Reading: Mapping the World of Fungi Beneath Our Feet appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.
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