Truffles are one of the most famous mushrooms in the world and are many people’s introduction to the intricate world of fungus. Many species of truffles exist and not all are prized by humans, but some, especially the Piedmont white truffle, are such culinary delicacies that they’ve become the most valuable natural things on earth. “A Lure” begins with Sheldrake visiting a truffle farm in Italy, although the term “farm” is used loosely, as people have never managed to domesticate truffles. He first visits the farm’s shop, where he describes the overwhelming scent of the piles of mushrooms. Afterward, he goes for a walk in search of the fungus with two truffle hunters and their specially trained dogs. Since truffles are so valuable, hunting them is incredibly secretive and competitive and can easily end in violence.

Sheldrake explains that the truffle’s irresistible smell is an evolutionary mechanism. Since they grow underground and are not visually appealing, they have become incredibly pungent to lure animals to dig them up, eat them, and spread their spores through their poop. These spores sprout into hyphae filaments, which connect with a vast array of bacteria, plants, and other fungi.