Plant: Wait, so you're going to replant me, in massive numbers, all across the planet? kk nm, go ahead.
One of reasons why some biologists suggest that one of the most evolutionarily successful animals on the planet is the farm chicken.
At an estimated global population of 35 billion, it's definitely doing a lot better than our 8 billion.
And evolutionarily successful doesn't mean you get to be the best, fastest, strongest and have the best most comfortable life ... evolutionary success just means that there are more of your species creating more generations of your kind everywhere. The hope being that the more there are of your species, the more likely your kind will survive in the future.
Is it really wheat that domesticated us?
Try not to think about it. Being able to grow food meant more people staying put which meant the violent were dealt with. We show the impacts of this process the way domesticated animals do, neoteny.
Meanwhile humans spread those planets across the planet, cultivate it, and kill anything that tries to mess with it. Without us those plants would be living a sad little existence defeated by the next time a bug evolves slightly. Who played who?
Isn't this because they have anti-bacterial properties? So that you can preserve food and especially in hot climates you don't get food poisoning as easily?
Yup! I studied evolutionary psychology in college. Different seasonings helped make food safer to eat in hotter climates. My prof said “that's why if you leave a really salty piece of jerky under your bed, it's probably fine.”
Also explains why cultures up north typically didn't adapt a preference for spicy food as the cold allowed them to preserve food that way
Probably and was probably an accidental discovery. Someone noticed that spicy meat lasted longer.
Now I want a Bloody Mary.
I thought that plants benefited from having their fruits eaten. As animals (like humans) defecate the seeds in different places, with enough manure to grow.
In the case of peppers, birds are immune to the effect of capsaicin. It strikes me as an evolutionary way of ensuring your seeds get spread as far as possible, by something that flies.
Could just be chance, though, I'm no expert.
All of evolution is just chance, but it sure is interesting to see what random chance can do if given enough time
Depends on the plant. Some plants like to grow close together, they don't need an animal to distribute their seeds. Other plants like to spread out, and they benefit if birds eat and distribute the seeds, but not mammals.
Evolution is purely a results driven process, all that matters is can the organism create offspring that are capable of creating offspring.
Some plants like to grow close together
Or maybe they grow well close together because they evolved to do so because their seeds weren't being spread all that far away?
Sorry couldn't help but nitpick there. But you're right, things don't evolve in any particular direction, it's all about just being above the bar of "not dying before producing offspring."
What's that first one? Horse radish?
Looks like it is, definitely different enough from wasabi to not be wasabi (even though it's the same family of plant).
Almost thought it was ginger but it's not gnarled enough. Or brown.
But what about cilantro. It tastes like s#it. To me. Yet everyone else seems to love it. It's very bitter and acrid, I don't like it. I can barely handly the slightest hint of garlic in most food. I prefer the taste of food without embellishment - like meat without sauces or spices, it's already pretty flavorful as is.
Isn't cilantro the one where some people have a gene that makes it taste completely different?
Yeah, apparently it's called OR6A2
"This ranch dressing is so spicy!"
I realize to most people that would sound absurd, but for me it's true! Ranch dressing, anything with even a hint of garlic or more than couple herbs and it's just too strong for me. But then again I don't like black pepper, or peppers, or garlic or onions either, so -- pretty much I just use salt and not much else in my cooking (and it doesn't seem bland to me at all).
Sounds like you are a super taster. My wife is a super taster too. She can't eat food that has been in the same room as cilantro. She likes meat cooked medium well, with maybe just a hint of season salt. She is the only person I know who likes easting salad without any dressing. Anything spicy is absolutely out of the question for her, including green peppers.
That sounds like me in every way. I also make my salad with no dressing on it, I prefer the taste of the veggies which are quite strong to me. And I don't even put syrup on pancakes, it overwhelms the amazing taste of them. I like meat with just a hint of salt also. Maybe we were separated at birth! Everyone has unique flavors they like or don't like.
I like it because it has a unique, sharp, pungent flavor that is unlike anything else I've ever eaten. I can't get enough of the stuff. I could literally put an entire bunch of cilantro in any dish that calls for it. Doesn't taste bitter nor acrid at all. It makes a lot of Asian and Mexican dishes taste so much better. I wish I could better describe what it tastes like to me to people who don't like it, cause y'all are really missing out.
Nightshade: Sup
Tomatoes and eggplant are nightshades.
