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When people think of extraordinary foods, they often imagine exotic dishes and intricate meals with names that are hard to pronounce. But, astonishing phenomena are hiding in the foods we consume every day, each with intriguing scientific explanations. From fruits and vegetables to nuts, here are 10 Unusual Natural Phenomena in Everyday Foods.
10. Brazil Nuts
Anyone who's had a pack of mixed nuts has unknowingly experienced a curious effect that remains puzzling for scientists. In most nut containers, Brazil nuts always appear at the top, with smaller nuts gathering at the bottom. This same effect happens with cereal boxes, where the largest pieces rise to the top, leaving only the tiny shreds at the bottom. But why is this the case? The usual assumption is that the larger items would sink, while the smaller ones would float to the top. However, no one has a clear explanation. Known as the “Brazil Nut Effect,” or more technically, “granular convection,” this phenomenon has baffled experts for years. It describes the movement of small, similar mass objects that behave in a way similar to fluid motion. The shaking that occurs during the packaging process causes the objects to move around.
When the nuts are shaken, the smaller ones fall beneath the larger ones, which pushes the bigger nuts upward. This process continues in a cycle as the nuts are constantly moved. However, the Brazil Nut Effect defies this logic slightly. The Brazil nuts reach the top of the package and seem to remain there, halting the cycle. Scientists can’t quite figure out why they stay at the top. Several theories have emerged: maybe the Brazil nuts are simply too large to fit into the smaller spaces after the shaking, or perhaps their density helps them remain near the surface. Regardless, the science behind this is applicable beyond the realm of nuts (pun intended). Dr. Douglas J. Jerolmack and his team have even observed a connection between this phenomenon and the resistance of riverbed erosion, noting that large rocks tend to stay on top while smaller sand and gravel settle further down.
9. Cranberries
It might sound strange to compare an everyday cranberry with a popular kids' toy, but there is an unexpected similarity. Although cranberries are often cooked to reduce their natural tartness, a fresh cranberry has a completely different texture. When ripe, it can bounce like a bouncy ball. This is thanks to the tiny air pockets within each berry, as well as its firm texture, which allows it to bounce off the ground. In fact, cranberry farmers use this very trait to test the ripeness of their berries. It's common practice for farmers to bounce cranberries over a wooden barrier, where the ones that clear the barrier are sent for distribution, while those that don't are separated to become juice. This method was discovered by accident in 1880 by a New Jersey farmer named John “Peg Leg” Webb, who used his wooden leg to drop the cranberries down a staircase as his way of transporting them. He realized that the firmer cranberries bounced down to the bottom, while the softer ones remained on top. This discovery has been used ever since to gauge cranberry ripeness.
8. Corn
Corn has been a staple for thousands of years, but many are unaware that each ear of corn shares an intriguing characteristic: it always has an even number of rows. This is because a corn ear is not just a vegetable—it's an inflorescence, meaning it produces nearly 1,000 female flowers. These flowers, which will eventually turn into kernels, are arranged in rows, giving corn its familiar appearance. On average, an ear of corn contains around 800 kernels, arranged into 16 rows. The evenness comes from the fact that each spikelet (the basic unit of a grass flower) produces two florets, one fertile and one sterile. This rule even extends to other foods. For instance, watermelons are said to always have an even number of stripes. This pattern happens because every cell divides into two, and those two cells divide into two more. This cycle ensures that the number always stays even. It's quite a curious phenomenon!
7. Pistachios
Pistachios may seem innocent enough, but little did we know that they have a sinister side. That’s because pistachios, when stored in large quantities, are at high risk of spontaneously combusting. It is a known fact that fat burns very easily, and each pistachio nut is nearly 50% fat. Furthermore, pistachios have almost no water in them, and if they are kept in a high-moisture area, then they become moldy. With their total absence of water and a high concentration of fat, pistachios are at risk of becoming flammable. This risk turns into reality when pistachios are packed close together in large amounts, as the oils of the nuts can heat themselves up, causing them to burst into flames. Because they can self-heat, this pistachio-fueled nightmare can occur with no warning, with no human contact. This has led to many strict guidelines as to how pistachios are shipped, as most of the world pistachio production comes from the Middle East. This means that ships are required for transport, and nobody wants to see a boat burn down from improperly packaged nuts.
6. Nutmeg
Nutmeg is a spice most commonly used around the holidays, as a sweet garnish to drinks or an ingredient in desserts. However, just like the pistachio, there is a dark secret behind this festive spice. This is because nutmeg is really a hallucinogen, capable of causing powerful highs and unpleasant side effects. Sudden bursts of panic, trouble urinating, and constantly dry mouth are just a few consequences of the hallucinogenic trip. Nutmeg itself is actually a seed, and it contains a compound known as myristicin. Myristicin is used in many drugs that are used to affect mental state, and it is the reason why nutmeg produces hallucinogenic effects.
Though this may shock all of us, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone in 12th century Europe. Back then, it was considered a drug rather than a garnish, and people would use it frequently in order to induce hallucinations. It is even believed that famous physician Nostradamus ingested nutmeg in order to gain visions that led to his scientific discoveries. Nutmeg remained a popular drug for years to come, but somewhere along the way its status shifted into the innocent spice, we know it as today.
5. Mushrooms
Cooking the perfect dish can be a tricky balance—undercooked, overcooked, or just right. But fortunately, there's one ingredient that’s virtually impossible to overcook: the mushroom. Unlike meat or vegetables, which have protein and pectin in their cell walls, mushrooms have a polymer called chitin. Chitin is highly heat-resistant, meaning it doesn’t break down or change much when exposed to heat. This is why you can cook mushrooms for longer without worrying about them becoming tough or mushy, unlike meat, where proteins become chewy, or vegetables, where pectin breaks down into a soft, undesirable texture.
To test this phenomenon, Dan Souza, the executive editor of America’s Test Kitchen, conducted a unique experiment. He steamed a mushroom, a piece of zucchini, and a slice of beef tenderloin for forty minutes, checking their textures every five minutes to determine how much force was needed to bite into each. As expected, the mushroom remained remarkably consistent, requiring around 100 grams of force to bite throughout the entire test. Meanwhile, the tenderloin shot up to 500 grams, becoming tough, while the zucchini dropped nearly 200 grams, becoming limp and chewy. The mushroom was the only one that maintained its texture.
4. Chili Peppers
With around a quarter of the world’s population consuming chili peppers daily, it’s clear that many people relish the fiery sensation these peppers provide. While millions embrace the spice and enjoy the ‘burn,’ few have paused to wonder why we feel this heat. The answer lies in a compound called capsaicin, which is present in all chili peppers. Capsaicin activates the heat-sensing receptors in our brains, tricking us into feeling a burning sensation when we bite into a pepper. Interestingly, we aren’t actually burned—it's just a false alarm sent by our brains. This fiery defense mechanism evolved in peppers to deter mammals from eating them, as mammals are sensitive to capsaicin. Birds, on the other hand, don’t feel the burn and are the ideal carriers of pepper seeds, helping the plant spread by excreting them after consumption.
3. Carrots
Carrots are so closely associated with the color orange that it's hard to imagine them any other way, but they didn’t always have this distinctive hue. Originally, carrots were purple, but a mutation in their genes led to the creation of yellow carrots. The switch from purple and yellow to orange carrots is an intriguing story that starts in the town of Arausio, in Southern France. The town was originally pronounced 'Aurenja', and since the French word for orange is 'naranj', the town’s name eventually became Orange. In 1544, a man named William The Silent took control of Orange and became known as William The Orange. This same William The Orange played a key role in leading the Dutch to independence from Spain, founding the Dutch Republic.
Around the same time that this political revolution was unfolding, there was another revolution taking place—this one was a carrot revolution. During the period of Dutch independence, Dutch farmers developed a variety of carrots that contained a pigment called beta-carotene, which gave the carrots their orange color. These orange carrots quickly became associated with William The Orange, and the Dutch began mass producing them as a tribute. Over time, growing other colors of carrots became less practical, and thus, the orange carrot became the standard.
2. Cashews
Cashews might just have the oddest trait of all the nuts. When asked what grows on a cashew tree, most people would probably guess cashews. While that’s partially correct, the nut isn’t actually the primary fruit of the tree. Native to northern Brazil’s coastal regions, cashew trees produce apples, and the nuts grow beneath these apples. Many people have never seen a cashew apple, primarily because the thick skin of the fruit makes it difficult to transport. However, the pulp of the cashew apple is often used to make juices and other apple-based products. Even more surprising is that the 'cashew nut' isn’t technically a nut at all—it’s a seed. To protect itself, the seed is covered in a toxic shell that discourages animals from eating it. But don’t worry—cashews sold in stores are shell-free and completely safe to eat.
1. Rhubarb
Rhubarb, a perennial plant often likened to celery, is typically classified as a fruit because of its tart, fruity flavor. However, this classification leaves the rhubarb in a bit of an identity crisis, overshadowed by more commonly recognized foods like apples or broccoli. Despite its humble standing, rhubarb has a fascinating growing process. Since the 1800s, farmers have used a method called 'forced rhubarb,' where the plants are grown in complete darkness. This unusual growing technique accelerates the rhubarb’s maturation, causing it to sprout with a distinctive, loud popping sound as it bursts from its initial buds. As the rhubarb continues to grow, it rubs against its neighboring stalks, creating a squeaking and creaking noise. Rhubarb farmer Brian French recalls hearing this unique sound: 'I have heard the noise before. Growing against each other. You really have to listen for it.' The reason behind this is that the darkness prevents the rhubarb from photosynthesizing, resulting in a more tender and less stringy plant. You can even hear the sound of rhubarb growing for yourself.
