In a discovery that blurs the line between biology and communication, researchers have found electrical signals in fungi that resemble a language of up to 50 “words.”

Fungal networks, made up of thread-like structures called hyphae, normally transport nutrients through soil and connect with plants in intricate underground webs. But when scientists placed tiny electrodes into these hyphae, they observed something unexpected: bursts of electrical impulses that weren’t random. Instead, they appeared in structured patterns, similar to how words form sentences.

The findings, published in Royal Society Open Science, suggest that fungi may use these electrical signals to share information — perhaps about food sources, threats, or environmental damage. While it’s not “language” in the human sense, it does hint at a remarkable form of communication happening silently beneath our feet.

This research adds to growing evidence that the fungal kingdom, often overlooked, plays a far more complex role in ecosystems than previously imagined. In forests, fields, and even urban soils, fungi may be engaged in their own silent conversations — a hidden dialogue sustaining life all around us.