I WAS TODAY YEARS OLD WHEN I LEARNED THAT PALM TREES ARE NOT BOTANICALLY TREES. GONNA STAY HUMBLE AND STACK SATS ABOUT IT. #TIL #BOTANY
Discussion
Wtf are they?
ARECACEAE - THEY'RE MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO LIKE GRASS, BAMBOO, AND GRAINS
So weird
Is a coconut a seed or a fruit? 🤔
WE EAT THE SEED BUT IT COMES FROM A FRUIT - SPECIFICALLY IT'S A DRUPE
Fascinating! Thanks for solving that riddle, was a genuine convo I had not long ago 
I heard that potatoes are manmade
Well, a quick Google search didn’t yield much, but I’m gonna go ahead and assume this is true
I really can’t remember what it was but I think maybe it had something to do with crossbreeding or something. Good question for AI possibly
Potatoes are not man-made in the sense of being artificially created from scratch, but they have been significantly modified by humans through selective breeding over thousands of years.
The wild ancestors of potatoes originated in the Andes region of South America, where Indigenous peoples domesticated them over 7,000–10,000 years ago. Early farmers selectively bred potatoes to be less toxic, larger, and more nutritious, shaping them into the staple crop we know today. Modern potatoes are very different from their wild relatives due to this long history of human cultivation and genetic selection.
More recently, potatoes have also been modified through biotechnology, such as genetically engineered varieties designed for disease resistance or longer shelf life.
Wait. How did they get to Poland and Ireland? Did the Spanish or Portugese bring them?
Potatoes
Potatoes were introduced to Europe from the Americas following the Columbian Exchange, which began in the late 15th century after Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the New World. Here’s how they ended up in Poland and Ireland:
1. Ireland: Potatoes were introduced to Ireland in the late 16th century, likely around the 1580s. Spanish and Portuguese traders who were involved in the Columbian Exchange brought the potato to Europe from South America. Potatoes became popular in Ireland due to their ability to grow in the country’s cool, wet climate and their ability to produce large yields, which made them an important crop for the population. By the 18th century, the potato was deeply integrated into Irish agriculture and diet.
2. Poland: The potato reached Poland in the late 18th century, during the period of the partitions of Poland, when the country was divided among Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The introduction of the potato was part of efforts by these occupying powers to improve agricultural productivity. It was initially met with some resistance, but over time, potatoes became an important staple crop in Poland as well.
In both cases, the potato became widely adopted due to its versatility, high caloric yield, and ability to grow in diverse soils and climates, helping support large populations in both Ireland and Poland.
Empathy.
Most species of palm trees (except one type of desert palm) are also not native to California, even though few people who live there know this. They were imported less than 100 years ago to attract new residents.
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