As life crept onto land, fungi evolved threadlike filaments called hyphae. These microscopic strands could penetrate rock, soil, and decaying material, extracting nutrients molecule by molecule. The shift from swimming spores to spreading filaments marked fungi’s true terrestrial breakthrough.
STORY
Hyphae break rock
By Michael Alan Prestwood
Sun 22 Feb 2026
Published 2 days ago.
Updated 2 days ago.
Fungal Evolution
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Hyphae break rock
~480 MYA (+/- 20 million)
Filamentous growth (hyphae); terrestrial colonization
— map / TST —
Prestwood writes on science-first philosophy, with particular attention to the convergence of disciplines. Drawing on his TST Framework, his work emphasizes rational inquiry grounded in empirical observation while engaging questions at the edges of established knowledge. With TouchstoneTruth positioned as a living touchstone, this work aims to contribute reliable, evolving analysis in an emerging AI era where the credibility of information is increasingly contested.
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