I really doubt that the fungus is really dead. I suspect that it's no longer edible, but there have to be viable spores in that mass. Why didn't they split the thing into small pieces and try to clone it? Serves these Euros right for being so pretentious.
They called it a tuber in that article. Could that be right, tuber officianados? I thought fungi were fungi and tubers were tubers.
edit: upon a little research, seems that "Tuber" is a (or the) genus name for truffles, whereas tubers as we know them are taters and such. The truffle that the article refers to is called Tuber magnatum. Here's a pic:
You know, I think I saw some of that up in Desolation Wilderness the last time I was backpacking up there. But that species was surrounded by a protective wrapping of toilet paper.
You know, I think I saw some of that up in Desolation Wilderness the last time I was backpacking up there. But that species was surrounded by a protective wrapping of toilet paper.
Those look like the white poo of animals that eat bones, but hey, a majority of people around the world eat bugs as snacks so who's to say how appetizing something has to look in order to taste good.