Existing comment:
Reshaping our Foods
Where did our crops and farm animals come from?
Most of the plants and animals we raise for food barely resemble their wild ancestors; they have been dramatically changed by humans. Thousands of years ago, for instance, there was no maize, or corn -- today's massive cobs were bred from a wild grass. Through selective breeding, we have made food bigger, easier to store and more resistant to pests and disease. We've altered flavor, yield and much more, breeding countless new plant and animal varieties specifically adapted to our needs.
From grass to maize:
Archaeologists have uncovered the early ancestors of modern-day corn, which was bred thousands of years ago from a wild grass called teosinte. |