In an article featured in Science China Earth Sciences, researchers from Tianjin University elucidate the coupling relationship between soil fungi and reactive minerals in ecosystems by utilizing global fungal carbon stocks, mineral-associated carbon stocks, and high-resolution nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry. They also reveal the mechanisms of fungal-nanoparticle interactions belowground. These findings provide new insights into the critical role of microorganisms in soil carbon stability and storage.