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The World Beneath Our Feet: The Hidden Life of Soil and Why It Matters to Us All
A vivid tour into the subterranean that encourages us to look downwards, revealing how the earth's most biodiverse frontier sustains all life above the soil surface
“The creatures that live in [soil] may lead lives as exciting as those of forest-dwellers, but they are hidden from human sight. Dig them up, though, and the result is awesome.”—The Economist
The ground beneath us hums with a staggering abundance of winding roots, interconnecting fungal networks, wriggling creatures, and mind-blowing microbial life. This hidden ecosystem is the single most biodiverse habitat on the planet. Over half of all the Earth's species exist underfoot, where decaying matter is transformed into new life; just a handful of soil can contain an entire world. Without soil, there would be no life as we know it—and yet we rarely take the time to know the countless lives happening below.
In The World Beneath Our Feet, soil ecologist Frank Ashwood dives deep into this precious ecosystem, spanning the globe from the frozen landscape of Greenland to the black soil deposits of the Amazon and the Eurasian Steppe, while also examining the jaw-dropping evolutionary adaptations that make lives very alien from our own possible. Unearthing soil layers one at a time, Ashwood reveals every sublayer to be a distinct macrocosm, teeming with organisms essential to our planet's wellbeing. Supported by interviews with global soil biologists, as well as his own expert research, Ashwood shows us how life at a microscopic scale impacts us all.
Powerfully illuminating the dark depths of the earth, and accompanied by the author's own up-close photography, which magnifies and reveals creatures only millimeters long, The World Beneath Our Feet opens our eyes to the hidden and wondrous world of soil—perhaps the greatest unexplored frontier on our planet.
“The creatures that live in [soil] may lead lives as exciting as those of forest-dwellers, but they are hidden from human sight. Dig them up, though, and the result is awesome.”—The Economist
The ground beneath us hums with a staggering abundance of winding roots, interconnecting fungal networks, wriggling creatures, and mind-blowing microbial life. This hidden ecosystem is the single most biodiverse habitat on the planet. Over half of all the Earth's species exist underfoot, where decaying matter is transformed into new life; just a handful of soil can contain an entire world. Without soil, there would be no life as we know it—and yet we rarely take the time to know the countless lives happening below.
In The World Beneath Our Feet, soil ecologist Frank Ashwood dives deep into this precious ecosystem, spanning the globe from the frozen landscape of Greenland to the black soil deposits of the Amazon and the Eurasian Steppe, while also examining the jaw-dropping evolutionary adaptations that make lives very alien from our own possible. Unearthing soil layers one at a time, Ashwood reveals every sublayer to be a distinct macrocosm, teeming with organisms essential to our planet's wellbeing. Supported by interviews with global soil biologists, as well as his own expert research, Ashwood shows us how life at a microscopic scale impacts us all.
Powerfully illuminating the dark depths of the earth, and accompanied by the author's own up-close photography, which magnifies and reveals creatures only millimeters long, The World Beneath Our Feet opens our eyes to the hidden and wondrous world of soil—perhaps the greatest unexplored frontier on our planet.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 11, 2026
Review of The World Beneath Our Feet by Frank Ashwood
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of this book!
Ratings out of 5
- Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Information: 🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠
- Writing Style: 📝📝📝📝
Favorite Thing Learned
There are actually two things that I learned that I really thought were interesting and stuck with me. One of them being that there is a big problem with invasive earthworms. That's new knowledge to me that I want to take the time and look into more now that I've finished the book. The other thing is that there is still so much to discover and such a big opportunity to educate around soils and the biodiversity they carry. There are some amazing examples of so many things related to soils in this book.
Additional Notes
- I really did enjoy this book and I learned a ton from it, much of which I found really fascinating. I really think that this book does a great job at acting as a call to action while also describing through unique experiences and fun examples why conservation action for the soil organisms and ecosystems is so incredibly important. I actually found myself thinking about potentially going into soil ecology research to try it out! The environmental education side of it also piques my interest because, as someone with a passion for environmental education, it seems super rewarding!
- What I didn't love about this book was that the definitions of terminology, while I can see them being extremely helpful for people not in the know of the ecological jargon, I think they could have been placed in a glossary (or maybe even as footnotes?) instead of being thrown into the middle of sentences. I know that explanation is definitely needed for clarity to share the information to non-science folks, but for me it kept pulling me out of the cool examples and stories being told within the book because there was so much defining within them. It was a little distracting, especially if you know the terms already. That was really my only gripe aside from the chapters being incredibly long.
- I also think that this book could have used photos, especially in the parts where the author describes a creature or when he talks about his photography, that would have been really cool to have (not sure if they added those to the final published version, but I'll know for sure when I purchase the physical book).
- Overall, there's a lot to learn from this book and the author does a really excellent job with science writing, calling to action, and educating. The use of really interesting research and examples, including personal experiences and interviews with other soil experts, works really well to keep reader interest and helps create a sense of wonder/fascination with the natural world under the soil. I actually found myself wondering about the organisms in the soil as I walk from place to place while I read through this book! I also really appreciated the lengthy bibliography at the end of the book as someone that likes to look at the research that went into it.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of this book!
Ratings out of 5
- Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Information: 🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠
- Writing Style: 📝📝📝📝
Favorite Thing Learned
There are actually two things that I learned that I really thought were interesting and stuck with me. One of them being that there is a big problem with invasive earthworms. That's new knowledge to me that I want to take the time and look into more now that I've finished the book. The other thing is that there is still so much to discover and such a big opportunity to educate around soils and the biodiversity they carry. There are some amazing examples of so many things related to soils in this book.
Additional Notes
- I really did enjoy this book and I learned a ton from it, much of which I found really fascinating. I really think that this book does a great job at acting as a call to action while also describing through unique experiences and fun examples why conservation action for the soil organisms and ecosystems is so incredibly important. I actually found myself thinking about potentially going into soil ecology research to try it out! The environmental education side of it also piques my interest because, as someone with a passion for environmental education, it seems super rewarding!
- What I didn't love about this book was that the definitions of terminology, while I can see them being extremely helpful for people not in the know of the ecological jargon, I think they could have been placed in a glossary (or maybe even as footnotes?) instead of being thrown into the middle of sentences. I know that explanation is definitely needed for clarity to share the information to non-science folks, but for me it kept pulling me out of the cool examples and stories being told within the book because there was so much defining within them. It was a little distracting, especially if you know the terms already. That was really my only gripe aside from the chapters being incredibly long.
- I also think that this book could have used photos, especially in the parts where the author describes a creature or when he talks about his photography, that would have been really cool to have (not sure if they added those to the final published version, but I'll know for sure when I purchase the physical book).
- Overall, there's a lot to learn from this book and the author does a really excellent job with science writing, calling to action, and educating. The use of really interesting research and examples, including personal experiences and interviews with other soil experts, works really well to keep reader interest and helps create a sense of wonder/fascination with the natural world under the soil. I actually found myself wondering about the organisms in the soil as I walk from place to place while I read through this book! I also really appreciated the lengthy bibliography at the end of the book as someone that likes to look at the research that went into it.
October 15, 2026
Das Leben im Boden, ein oft unterschätztes und übersehenes, aber so wichtiges und auch spannendes Thema. Auch ich habe mich bisher kaum damit beschäftigt, weshalb mich das Buch direkt angesprochen hat. Außerdem gefällt mir das Cover sehr gut. Und das Buch war auch sehr interessant und voller für mich neuer Informationen. Zwischenzeitlich hatte es einige Längen, die ich nicht so interessant fand wie andere, aber alles in allem, ein sehr lesenswertes und auch gut verständlich geschriebenes Buch.
October 17, 2026
The World Beneath Our Feet by Frank Ashwood
Rating: 4/5
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
A detailed look at the complex, hidden ecosystems of soil and the incredible biodiversity thriving right beneath the surface.
An entire book exploring subterranean ecology is right up my alley. Ashwood does a fantastic job highlighting the vital, intricate systems that keep our environment functioning. I will note that the text is quite jargon-heavy. He does, however, make a very compelling argument for soil conservation.
Also, having a PhD in earthworms is wild.
A highly recommended read for anyone wanting a smart, well-researched deep dive into the natural sciences, soil, biodiversity, and invertebrates!
Rating: 4/5
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
A detailed look at the complex, hidden ecosystems of soil and the incredible biodiversity thriving right beneath the surface.
An entire book exploring subterranean ecology is right up my alley. Ashwood does a fantastic job highlighting the vital, intricate systems that keep our environment functioning. I will note that the text is quite jargon-heavy. He does, however, make a very compelling argument for soil conservation.
Also, having a PhD in earthworms is wild.
A highly recommended read for anyone wanting a smart, well-researched deep dive into the natural sciences, soil, biodiversity, and invertebrates!
October 16, 2026
This was an insightful read on how important soil is to overall ecosystem health. I liked how the author dug into the different invertebrates living underground and showed how they can act as indicators of soil quality.
I was especially interested in the topics of monocropping, regenerative farming, and the impacts of plowing—especially how plowing can actually increase bacteria in the soil. The discussion on how global crop production can influence ecological outcomes was genuinely thought‑provoking. And the section on noise pollution and its potential effects on soil organisms added a fascinating extra layer to the whole subject.
I was especially interested in the topics of monocropping, regenerative farming, and the impacts of plowing—especially how plowing can actually increase bacteria in the soil. The discussion on how global crop production can influence ecological outcomes was genuinely thought‑provoking. And the section on noise pollution and its potential effects on soil organisms added a fascinating extra layer to the whole subject.
October 22, 2026
Such a fascinating book! There’s an entire universe of wonder beneath our feet!
October 1, 2026
Traveling The World To Look Into Dirt. This is one of those books that will be *very* appealing to some... and others (most?) will walk right on by, just as they do literally every day with the subject at hand - the very ground they walk on and the vast ecosystem that thrives in the few inches or so between your feet and the rock that is somewhere underneath them.
Here, Ashwood - apparently both a scientist actively studying this largely unknown (by people generally) biome and an enthusiast who enjoys doing macrophotography of it - shines a light on a dark and largely blind world to help educate those of us who live in the lit and generally sighted world above it. (To be clear, this is a very broad illustration and not meant as a slight to those with vision difficulties of any version.)
Along the way, we're going to travel the world with Ashwood as he studies and photographs the world of "creepy crawlies" as so many of us know them and allow us to gain a better appreciation for just how beautiful these creatures can be - and how utterly essential they are to our lives, whether or not we have ever realized this. The advance reader copy edition I read did not have the pictures that are apparently included in the full print versions (both *ahem* dead tree *ahem* (paper) and eBook), so while I normally don't make a specific format recommendation, I do think that in this case many, perhaps most, readers would do well to have some version of the book that includes the pictures, as even the descriptions of them within the text I did have seem truly stunning... even for creatures many of us generally consider... not so pleasant to look at.
Overall a solid book that is deep enough in the science to teach nearly all of us something we didn't previously know, and evocative enough in the descriptions of both the author's travels and what he is seeing to make the lesson truly palatable and even enjoyable.
Very much recommended.
Here, Ashwood - apparently both a scientist actively studying this largely unknown (by people generally) biome and an enthusiast who enjoys doing macrophotography of it - shines a light on a dark and largely blind world to help educate those of us who live in the lit and generally sighted world above it. (To be clear, this is a very broad illustration and not meant as a slight to those with vision difficulties of any version.)
Along the way, we're going to travel the world with Ashwood as he studies and photographs the world of "creepy crawlies" as so many of us know them and allow us to gain a better appreciation for just how beautiful these creatures can be - and how utterly essential they are to our lives, whether or not we have ever realized this. The advance reader copy edition I read did not have the pictures that are apparently included in the full print versions (both *ahem* dead tree *ahem* (paper) and eBook), so while I normally don't make a specific format recommendation, I do think that in this case many, perhaps most, readers would do well to have some version of the book that includes the pictures, as even the descriptions of them within the text I did have seem truly stunning... even for creatures many of us generally consider... not so pleasant to look at.
Overall a solid book that is deep enough in the science to teach nearly all of us something we didn't previously know, and evocative enough in the descriptions of both the author's travels and what he is seeing to make the lesson truly palatable and even enjoyable.
Very much recommended.
September 5, 2026
Interesting.
October 5, 2026
Absolutely incredible! I learned so much and found the book to be beautifully written. Amazing photos and the perfect amount of humour at times.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The World Beneath Our Feet is a fascinating look into an almost-secret world in the soil layers written by soil ecologist Frank Ashwood. As a master gardener and a fungi forager and identifier, what happens in the “underground” has always intrigued me. The five elements of soil which include minerals, gases, liquids, dead organic matter, and living organisms are critical to our functioning world. I learned much more about pseudoscorpions, the role of springtails, macro-/micro-/mesofauna, earthworms (which are 25+ cm long where I live), humification, “diapause” and "phoresy" (had not heard those terms before), “sprickets”, and soil ecoacoustics. Ashwood also discussed the importance of biodiversity, minimizing soil erosion, and future technology. It amazes me that nearly 60% of all biodiversity of Earth is found in soil. It is not all science, though. The poignant “Black Sunday” story hit me in the heart.
The synopsis mentioned photographs but there were not any in my copy of this book. I did research the new-to-me details on my own as I cannot get enough of this subject. The author and I have differing views on evolution but there is still plenty of information I absorbed like a sponge and I appreciate that. This book prompted me to get out my microscope and observe soil creatures which I had not done in several months. Flipping rocks and logs in the forest reminds me of tide pooling, both of which are amongst my favourite pastimes! Soil teems with life…and produces life…and we should connect with it even in little ways.
The synopsis mentioned photographs but there were not any in my copy of this book. I did research the new-to-me details on my own as I cannot get enough of this subject. The author and I have differing views on evolution but there is still plenty of information I absorbed like a sponge and I appreciate that. This book prompted me to get out my microscope and observe soil creatures which I had not done in several months. Flipping rocks and logs in the forest reminds me of tide pooling, both of which are amongst my favourite pastimes! Soil teems with life…and produces life…and we should connect with it even in little ways.
October 15, 2026
Very informative and overly detailed. Could definitely have been edited down.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews