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Fungal Underground Alliance

By Michael Alan Prestwood

Sun 22 Feb 2026
Published 5 months ago.
Updated 3 days ago.
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By 450 million years ago, fungi and plants started a rich dirt alliance. Forests grew because fungi fed them. Plants exchanged sugars for fungi phosphors and minerals.

Fungal Underground Alliance

~450 Million years ago (+/- 10 million)
Arbuscular mycorrhizae (Glomeromycota symbiosis)

Early plants struggled on barren land. Fungi partnered with them. In exchange for sugars, fungi delivered phosphorus and minerals through vast underground networks. This mutualism is known as mycorrhizae, and it became one of the most important biological alliances in Earth’s history.

— map / TST —

Michael Alan Prestwood
Author & Natural Philosopher
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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Column Research….
1. Timeline Story
The famous Lewis “Truth in Fiction” Paper
2. Linked Quote
“Truth is stranger than fiction…[which] is obliged to stick to possibilities;”
3. Science FAQ »
Why does fiction feel real?
4. Philosophy FAQ »
Can authors create fiction beyond our universe?
5. Critical Thinking FAQ »
How do we know what is true in a fictional world?
6. History FAQ!
What is the history of philosophy of fiction?
Bonus Deep-Dive Article
TST Philosophy of Fiction: Imaginative Realism

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