The history, science, and sheer brilliance of the world's favorite fruit.
Bananas are believed to have originated in the tropical region of Southeast Asia. They were first domesticated in Papua New Guinea around 7,000 years ago. From there, they spread across the globe thanks to Austronesian sailors who carried them across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Today, bananas are grown in over 150 countries and are the world's most exported fruit. India is the largest producer, followed by China and Indonesia.
Here's a fun fact: banana "trees" aren't trees at all! They're actually giant herbaceous flowering plants. The "trunk" is a pseudostem made of tightly packed leaf bases. Each pseudostem produces fruit once and then dies, replaced by new suckers growing from the base.
The bananas you see in supermarkets worldwide are almost all the same variety: the Cavendish. They became dominant after the Gros Michel variety was devastated by Panama Disease in the 1950s. The Cavendish is resistant to that particular strain, but scientists worry new strains of the disease could threaten it too.
From Minions to Carmen Miranda, bananas have permeated global culture. In the UK, a banana in a school lunchbox was once a status symbol. In Japan, banana fibers are used to make textiles. The banana is not just food — it's a lifestyle.