this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I dunno, seems to have worked out for the chillis - there’s more of them now than ever before

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago

That's because evolution is a results-driven process. All that matters is making viable offspring. Doesn't matter how it gets done.

[–] [email protected] 62 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

meanwhile chinese cooking: i'll have all 3 at once please

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

And it's so. Damn. Delicious.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Life wouldn't be the same without Tabasco. How could I ever eat my cotton candy or cereals without copious amounts of it?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 month ago

I’m actually surprised that I’ve never found cotton candy coated with tajin, now that you mention it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is a low shenanigan..

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Are you calling shenanigans?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (3 children)

It's not about quantity, it's about quality. Tabasco's refined taste all the way.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Have you tried cholula? It’s tobasco, but with flavor beyond the vinegar base. Often cheaper as well

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago

Nope, but now I want to. Thanks.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

It is about quality, that's why I freakin' hate tabasco

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (7 children)

So your personal preferences dictate whether a product is good or not, and whether other people should also like it ("I do not like Tabasco, therefore its quality is shit"). Right. I'll be sure to defer to you in my future personal tastes. 🙄

This is not a pissing contest about who can hold the most Carolina Reapers in. It's a really subjective thing, which is why when the other commenter implied it was about hotness scale (which is valid foe those who go by it when choosing their preferred hot sauce), I personally go more by flavor. At least the other comment, while somewhat in condescending tone, was a way more productive opinion, backed with sources and actual measurements. 🤷‍♂️

Cheers.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

It's the Pabst or maybe Bud-light of hot sauces. I'll use it if it's the only option, but give me 5 bucks and 5 minutes at any grocery store, and I'll find somthing better.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 month ago (2 children)

How fortunate then that the same species resistant to their defense actually goes on to cultivate it

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Oh, we’re not resistant, we’re just crazy enough to like the pain. Birds are resistant and don’t feel it at all, they can eat chilis like fruits.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's just relative. Most mammals don't pay rent, taxes, or have to deal with the TSA. Once you do those things, spicy plant chemicals become a frivolous game.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I eat peppers just to feel something

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago

There's a book called The Botany of Desire, by Michael Pollan, which is about this. Looking from the plants eye view of things, they have manipulated us into growing them in a huge variety of environments. The book focuses on tulips, cannabis, apples, and potatoes, iirc. Fascinating book.

Two quick examples from the book:

Pot gets us high, now we grow it in closets, warehouses, yards, basements, attics, etc.

Apples don't reproduce true from seed, so Johnny Appleseed brought readily available cider to the Americas. (You need a cutting of an apple tree to grow that type of apple.)

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Tobacco plants: produce nicotine, a toxic alkaloid

Humans: imma smoke that shiiiiit

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Humans: I will now cultivate you, export you, protect you and make sure you're growing well so I can keep smoking you despite a 50% chance of dying from it.

Tobacco clearly has the last laugh in this story.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Tobacco clearly has the last laugh in this story.

Well, it's not like we're immortal if we abstain.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

With a name like The Fartographer, I'm inclined to believe you. 👍

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

We like our poisons in just the rights amounts.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago

It's funny if you think about it: Plant makes chemical (capsaicin) to help it thrive > humans love the painful spice, start growing and propagating peppers > Peppers spread grow like crazy. Evolution working exactly as it should

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Is it ironic that those two sauces aren't really that hot? 😂

Delicious, yes! But very low on the Scoville scale for hot sauce.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

Sriracha is now completely random from bottle to bottle. It goes from Tabasco to Carolina Reaper with no visual indicator. Turns out fucking over your loyal farmers and having to constantly scrounge has negative consequences…

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (10 children)

Is Tabasco delicious? I find the Sriracha from couple of years ago delicious (the current one is much worse), but Tabasco always tasted like a white vinegar mixed with capsaicin.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

If no eat, why so delicious?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Does anyone have an explanation for why they would evolve to prevent being eaten by mammals? I would think having mammals help spread their seeds would be beneficial?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago

Found the answer myself. Protects against fungal attacks. Also birds don't have the same receptors to capsaicin.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Birds eat them without feeling the heat. And they can spread seeds more effectively as you can imagine.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

If not delicious then why delicious shaped?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Butt also go Brrr after eating to much spicy

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

You get to enjoy spicy food twice.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

It's sort of what happens though. A plant gets a defense mechanism, it becomes more abundant, something will target that abundant food source.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

HUMANS: Hey peppers, we like what you're doing, a-

PEPPERS: HOW‽‽ IT'S SUPPOSED TO HURT Y-

HUMANS: -nd we wanted to produce as many of you as we can in a controlled environment.

PEPPERS: ... Blinks in disbelief Go on...?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (3 children)

What’s the sauce on the right?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Huy Fong branded Sriracha. It’s the worst option because they fucked over their pepper suppliers so the quality is terrible now. Get any other kind of Sriracha and it’ll be better.

[–] braydan 7 points 1 month ago

Hot cock sauce

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (9 children)

Sriracha sauce, it’s really good

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Sometimes it also makes your ass go brrrrrr...

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Plant: "I will let you feel pain". Humans: "Jokes on you, I'm into that shit"

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