Resource inequality is one of our greatest challenges, but it is not unique to humans. Like us, mycorrhizal fungi that live in the roots of plants and trees strategically trade, steal, and withhold resources, exhibiting remarkable parallels with humans in their ability to be opportunistic (and sometimes ruthless)—all in the absence of cognition. In a breathtaking talk, evolutionary biologist Toby Kiers shares what fungi's networks and relationships reveal about human economies and what they can teach us about inequality.
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