Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. #1 Truffles are the underground fruiting bodies of several types of mycorrhizal fungi. They are spore-producing organs that evolved to allow fungi to disperse themselves, but underground their spores can't be caught by air currents. Their solution is to smell. #2 The human sense of smell is extraordinary. We can detect virtually all volatile chemicals, and we outperform rodents and dogs in detecting certain odors. Smells are woven into our memories. #3 Truffles have long been associated with sex, and they are not the only fungi that attract animal attention. Orchid bees, for example, collect scents from the world and amass them into a cocktail to court females. #4 Humans wear perfumes produced by other organisms, and it is not uncommon for fungal aromas to be incorporated into our own sexual rituals. Truffles, which are harvested for their aroma, are worth more than diamonds.