The biomass distribution on Earth
PNAS · Independent global biomass framework and comparison baseline.
BiologyThe Scale ShiftPublished 21 May 2026
Which is heavier - Insects vs Humans?
Tumhare hisaab se in dono mein se kya zyada bhaari hai? Duniya ke saare insaan ki duniya ke saare insects?
What this reel claims
Which is heavier - Insects vs Humans?
01
A global synthesis estimates terrestrial arthropods at about 300 million tonnes of dry biomass, with a wide 100–500 million tonne range.
02
That estimate is similar in scale to humanity and livestock combined.
Evidence behind the story
What this source establishes
Open source ↗
The global biomass of terrestrial arthropods
Science Advances · Estimate: about 300 Mt dry biomass, plausible range 100–500 Mt; similar to humanity plus livestock.
What didn’t fit
What didn’t fit
A global insect headcount requires assumptions about tiny, short-lived animals spread through soil, canopy, freshwater and air. The familiar 10-quintillion figure is a sense-of-scale estimate, not a measured census, and dividing it by the human population creates false precision. Biomass research is more defensible while openly carrying a wide uncertainty range. The result remains astonishing without saying insects are definitively heavier than humans and livestock.
Corrections