Philosopher’s StonesThe publisher
The publisher
About this site and its publisher
The argument. Who publishes Philosopher’s Stones, how the information is gathered and checked, and why product links go to the Dutch smartshop Avalon Magic Plants.
Revised
Philosopher’s Stones is published by the team behind Avalon Magic Plants, a Dutch smartshop that sells magic truffles, including the Tampanensis truffles this site is about. Product links on these pages go to that shop. When you buy through such a link, the shop earns from the sale.
We state this at the top because it should shape how you read the rest. A shop has an interest in selling truffles. We made this site because the story of philosopher’s stones is usually told in a few copied lines, often with mistakes, and we wanted one place that tells it properly, with sources, including the parts that do not help sales: the inconsistencies in shop descriptions, the thin laboratory data, and the countries where truffles are a controlled drug.
How the information is put together
- History and biology come from the original species description, Steven Pollock’s patent, published journalism such as Hamilton Morris’s 2013 article in Harper’s Magazine, and the references in the scientific literature. Each chapter links to its sources.
- Measurements come from peer-reviewed studies. Where we convert or estimate, we say so.
- Shop information, such as strength rankings and dosage advice, is quoted as shop information and not presented as measurement.
- Legal statements are based on the text of the law or a court judgment, with the date we checked them. Where we could not verify something, we say that it is unsettled.
- The trip report is a composite, clearly labelled. We publish no invented testimonials or reviews.
- We make no medical or health claims of any kind.
Every page shows when it was last updated. Laws, products and prices change. If you find something that is out of date or wrong, the customer service of Avalon Magic Plants will pass it on to us.
The shop behind the site
Avalon Magic Plants has sold magic truffles and other natural products since 2009. It ships from the Netherlands and sells only to adults. Truffles are legal in the Netherlands but not in most other countries; the legal chapter explains where.