Grapes are arguably one of the most widely known and ubiquitously loved fruits in the world. They’re available almost everywhere in the world and many cultures have made some delicious items from the fruit – from jams to wines. But did you know? This wide availability of grapes may be a result of the catastrophic extinction event that wiped out dinosaurs from the face of this planet! A recent crowd-funded study revealed some fascinating insights regarding the history of the spread of grapes.
How Are Grapes And Dinosaurs Connected? Study Reveals
According to a crowd-funded study which was published in the journal ‘Nature Plants’, it was found that the extinction event of the dinosaurs may have aided the spread of grapes across the world. When thinking of the asteroid that hit the earth so many years ago, its impact on plants and flora is not thought about as much.
Grapes are one of the oldest fruits in existence. Fossils of grape seed have been found all over the world including India, Peru, Panama and Colombia. The oldest grape seed fossil was found in India dating back to 66 million years ago, as per an article which was recently published by The Independent.
Another one of the oldest grape seed fossils was found in South America that dates back to 60 million years ago. It was also the oldest grape seed found in the region.
The Surprising History Of The Spread Of This Beloved Fruit
Experts theorise that when the giant beings were walking the earth, they knocked down smaller trees and shrubs. As a result, it is likely that forests in those days might have been more open. However, once the species were wiped out, the forests grew to become denser.
Creeper plants were also able to flourish around this time as per the fossil record. This allowed the grape creepers to grow better and spread wider. Birds also diversified during this time which also aided in the spread of grape seeds.
Also Read: Grapes Pizza? Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver’s Take On Pizza Is An Unusual One
Did you know this fascinating fact about grapes? Do you enjoy eating grapes? Let us know in the comments section below!
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