0_Wizard
Popcorn is based on the corn kernel.
Popcorn, or pop corn, is a variety of corn kernel, which forcefully expands and puffs up when heated.
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Popcorn
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Popcorn
Popcorn, or pop corn, is a variety of corn kernel, which forcefully expands and puffs up when heated. A popcorn kernel's strong hull contains the seed's hard, starchy endosperm with 14-20% moisture, which turns to steam as the kernel is heated. The pressure continues building until it exceeds the hull's ability to contain it. The kernel ruptures and forcefully expands, allowing the contents to expand, cool, and finally set in a popcorn puff 20 to 50 times the size of the original kernel. Some strains of corn (taxonomized as "Zea mays") are cultivated specifically as popping corns. The "Zea mays" variety "everta," a special kind of flint corn, is the most common of these.
Corn kernel
Corn kernels are the fruits of corn (called maize in many countries). Maize is a grain, and the kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable or a source of starch. The kernel comprise endosperm, germ, pericarp, and tip cap. One ear of corn contains roughly 800 kernels in 16 rows. Corn kernels are readily available in bulk throughout maize-producing areas. They have a number of uses, including food and biofuel. Corn kernels are the fruits of maize. Maize is a grain, and the kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable or a source of starch. The kernels can be of various colors: blackish, bluish-gray, purple, green, red, white and yellow.
Sweet corn
Sweet corn ("Zea mays" convar. "saccharata" var. "rugosa"; also called sugar corn and pole corn) is a vegetable with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to starch inside the ENO of the corn kernel. Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten fresh, canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy.
Tiny but Mighty Popcorn
Tiny but Mighty Popcorn is an American brand of heirloom popcorn, introduced in 1981, when Iowa farmer Richard Kelty founded K&K Popcorn. Iowa farmers Gene and Lynn Mealhow later purchased the company in 1999, and subsequently renamed it. Since 1854, the ancestors of Richard Kelty (1936-2015) had been growing a heirloom popcorn variety out of small kernels, whose hulls would disintegrate after being popped, resulting in a richer taste. The popcorn had been introduced to the Kelty family by Native Americans, who shared it with them. The Kelty family had never sold the popcorn, which was only grown for personal consumption.
Corn silk
Corn silk is a common name for the shiny, thread-like, weak fibers that grow as part of ears of corn (maize); the tuft or tassel of silky fibers that protrude from the tip of the ear of corn. The ear is enclosed in modified leaves called husks. Each individual fiber is an elongated style, attached to an individual ovary. The term probably originated somewhere between 1850 and 1855. Up to 1000 ovules (potential kernels) form per ear of corn, each of which produces a strand of corn silk from its tip that eventually emerges from the end of the ear. The emergence of at least one strand of silk from a given ear of corn is defined as growth stage R1, and the emergence of silk in 50% of the plants in a corn field is called "mid-silk".
Maize
Maize ( ; "Zea mays" subsp. "mays", from after Taíno "mahiz"), also known as corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The leafy stalk of the plant produces separate pollen and ovuliferous inflorescences or ears, which are fruits, yielding kernels or seeds. Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with total production surpassing that of wheat or rice. However, not all of this maize is consumed directly by humans. Some of the maize production is used for corn ethanol, animal feed and other , such as corn starch and corn syrup.
Pellagra
Pellagra is a disease caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B). Symptoms include inflamed skin, diarrhea, dementia, and sores in the mouth. Areas of the skin exposed to either sunlight or friction are typically affected first. Over time affected skin may become darker, stiff, begin to peel, or bleed. There are two main types of pellagra, primary and secondary. Primary pellagra is due to a diet that does not contain enough niacin and tryptophan. Secondary pellagra is due to a poor ability to use the niacin within the diet. This can occur as a result of alcoholism, long term diarrhea, carcinoid syndrome, Hartnup disease, and a number of medications such as isoniazid.
1_Apprentice
Popcorn is delicious and a healthy snack if made right. I am actually eating some as we speak haha
0_Wizard
Some strains of corn are specifically for popping, apparently.
Some strains of corn (taxonomized as "Zea mays") are cultivated specifically as popping corns.
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Popcorn
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Popcorn
Popcorn, or pop corn, is a variety of corn kernel, which forcefully expands and puffs up when heated. A popcorn kernel's strong hull contains the seed's hard, starchy endosperm with 14-20% moisture, which turns to steam as the kernel is heated. The pressure continues building until it exceeds the hull's ability to contain it. The kernel ruptures and forcefully expands, allowing the contents to expand, cool, and finally set in a popcorn puff 20 to 50 times the size of the original kernel. Some strains of corn (taxonomized as "Zea mays") are cultivated specifically as popping corns. The "Zea mays" variety "everta," a special kind of flint corn, is the most common of these.
Maize
Maize ( ; "Zea mays" subsp. "mays", from after Taíno "mahiz"), also known as corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The leafy stalk of the plant produces separate pollen and ovuliferous inflorescences or ears, which are fruits, yielding kernels or seeds. Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with total production surpassing that of wheat or rice. However, not all of this maize is consumed directly by humans. Some of the maize production is used for corn ethanol, animal feed and other , such as corn starch and corn syrup.
Hip-hop dance
Hip-hop dance refers to street dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles primarily breaking which was created in the 1970s and made popular by dance crews in the United States. The television show "Soul Train" and the 1980s films "Breakin'", "Beat Street", and "Wild Style" showcased these crews and dance styles in their early stages; therefore, giving hip-hop mainstream exposure. The dance industry responded with a commercial, studio-based version of hip-hop—sometimes called "new style"—and a hip-hop influenced style of jazz dance called "jazz-funk".
Genetically modified food controversies
Genetically modified food controversies are disputes over the use of foods and other goods derived from genetically modified crops instead of conventional crops, and other uses of genetic engineering in food production. The disputes involve consumers, farmers, biotechnology companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental organizations, and scientists. The key areas of controversy related to genetically modified food (GM food or GMO food) are whether such food should be labeled, the role of government regulators, the objectivity of scientific research and publication, the effect of genetically modified crops on health and the environment, the effect on pesticide resistance, the impact of such crops for farmers, and the role of the crops in feeding the world population.
European corn borer
The European corn borer ("Ostrinia nubilalis"), also known as the European corn worm or European high-flyer, is a moth of the family Crambidae which includes other grass moths. It is a pest of grain, particularly corn (maize or "Zea mays"). The insect is native to Europe, originally infesting varieties of millet, including broom corn. The European corn borer was first reported in North America in 1917 in Massachusetts, but was probably introduced from Europe several years earlier. Since its initial discovery in the Americas, the insect has spread into Canada and westward across the United States to the Rocky Mountains.
Western corn rootworm
The Western corn rootworm, "Diabrotica virgifera virgifera", is one of the most devastating corn rootworm species in North America, especially in the midwestern corn-growing areas such as Iowa. A related species, the Northern corn rootworm, "D. barberi" co-inhabits in much of the range, and is fairly similar in biology. Two other subspecies of "D. virgifera" are described, including the Mexican corn rootworm ("Diabrotica virgifera zeae"), a significant pest in its own right, attacking corn in that country. Corn rootworm larvae can destroy significant percentages of corn if left untreated. In the United States, current estimates show that of corn (out of 80 million grown) are infested with corn rootworm.
Genetically modified crops
Genetically modified crops (GMCs, GM crops, or biotech crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. Examples in food crops include resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, or resistance to chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide), or improving the nutrient profile of the crop. Examples in non-food crops include production of pharmaceutical agents, biofuels, and other industrially useful goods, as well as for bioremediation.
1_Apprentice
That's interesting, I assumed all kernels could be popped and wasn't aware that there were different strains. How many other strains are there?
0_Wizard
There are a few - dent corn, flour corn, popcorn, pod corn, and flint corn.
The six major types of corn are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn.
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Popcorn
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Dent corn
Dent corn also known as yellow dent corn, Reid's yellow dent corn, white dent corn, or field corn, is a variety of maize or corn with a high soft starch content. It received its name because of the small indentation ("dent") at the crown of each kernel on a ripe ear of corn. It is a variety developed by northern Illinois farmer James L. Reid. Reid and his father, Robert Reid, moved from Brown County, Ohio to Tazewell County, Illinois in 1846 bringing with them a red corn variety known as "Johnny Hopkins", and crossed it with varieties of flint corn and floury corn. Most of today's hybrid corn varieties and cultivars are derived from it.
Flint corn
Flint corn ("Zea mays" var. "indurata"; also known as Indian corn or sometimes calico corn) is a variant of maize, the same species as common corn. Because each kernel has a hard outer layer to protect the soft endosperm, it is likened to being hard as flint; hence the name. The six major types of corn are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn. With less soft starch than dent corn ("Zea mays indentata"), flint corn does not have the dents in each kernel from which dent corn gets its name. This is one of the three types of corn cultivated by Native Americans, both in New England and across the northern tier, including by tribes such as the Pawnee on the Great Plains.
Popcorn
Popcorn, or pop corn, is a variety of corn kernel, which forcefully expands and puffs up when heated. A popcorn kernel's strong hull contains the seed's hard, starchy endosperm with 14-20% moisture, which turns to steam as the kernel is heated. The pressure continues building until it exceeds the hull's ability to contain it. The kernel ruptures and forcefully expands, allowing the contents to expand, cool, and finally set in a popcorn puff 20 to 50 times the size of the original kernel. Some strains of corn (taxonomized as "Zea mays") are cultivated specifically as popping corns. The "Zea mays" variety "everta," a special kind of flint corn, is the most common of these.
Maize
Maize ( ; "Zea mays" subsp. "mays", from after Taíno "mahiz"), also known as corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The leafy stalk of the plant produces separate pollen and ovuliferous inflorescences or ears, which are fruits, yielding kernels or seeds. Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with total production surpassing that of wheat or rice. However, not all of this maize is consumed directly by humans. Some of the maize production is used for corn ethanol, animal feed and other , such as corn starch and corn syrup.
Sweet corn
Sweet corn ("Zea mays" convar. "saccharata" var. "rugosa"; also called sugar corn and pole corn) is a vegetable with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to starch inside the ENO of the corn kernel. Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten fresh, canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy.
Pod corn
Pod corn or wild maize is a variety of maize thought to be the progenitor of corn. Pod corn is not a wild ancestor of maize, but a mutant that forms leaves around each kernel. The six major types of corn are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn.
Flour corn
Flour corn ("Zea mays" var. "amylacea") is a variety of corn with a soft starchy endosperm and a thin pericarp. It is primarily used to make corn flour. The six major types of corn are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn.
1_Apprentice
Wow! I didn't even know. So I guess they are considered GMO then and not naturally occurring? I've been trying to stay away from GMO foods 
0_Wizard
Corn was domesticated over 9000 years ago in Mexico!
Corn was first domesticated 9,000 years ago in what is now Mexico.
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Popcorn
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Maize
Maize ( ; "Zea mays" subsp. "mays", from after Taíno "mahiz"), also known as corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The leafy stalk of the plant produces separate pollen and ovuliferous inflorescences or ears, which are fruits, yielding kernels or seeds. Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with total production surpassing that of wheat or rice. However, not all of this maize is consumed directly by humans. Some of the maize production is used for corn ethanol, animal feed and other , such as corn starch and corn syrup.
Balsas River
The Balsas River (Spanish Río Balsas, also locally known as the Mezcala River, or Atoyac River) is a major river of south-central Mexico. The basin flows through the states of Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, and Mexico. The river flows through the Sierra Madre del Sur, and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Mangrove Point, adjacent to the city of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán. Several rapids along the course of the Balsas River limit its navigability and thus the river has been largely used for generation of hydroelectric power, flood control and irrigation. The Balsas River valley was possibly one of the earliest maize growing sites in Mexico, dating from around 9200 years ago.
Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution, Neolithic Demographic Transition, or Agricultural Revolution, was the wide-scale transition of many human cultures from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one of agriculture and settlement, making possible an increasingly larger population. These settled communities permitted humans to observe and experiment with plants to learn how they grew and developed. This new knowledge led to the domestication of plants. Archaeological data indicates that the domestication of various types of plants and animals happened in separate locations worldwide, starting in the geological epoch of the Holocene around 12,500 years ago.
Plant evolutionary developmental biology
Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) refers to the study of developmental programs and patterns from an evolutionary perspective. It seeks to understand the various influences shaping the form and nature of life on the planet. Evo-devo arose as a separate branch of science rather recently. An early sign of this occurred in 1999. Most of the synthesis in evo-devo has been in the field of animal evolution, one reason being the presence of elegant model systems like "Drosophila melanogaster", "C. elegans", zebrafish and "Xenopus laevis". However, in the past couple of decades, a wealth of information on plant morphology, coupled with modern molecular techniques has helped shed light on the conserved and unique developmental patterns in the plant kingdom also.
Goat
The domestic goat ("Capra aegagrus hircus") is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the family Bovidae and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over 300 distinct breeds of goat. Goats are one of the oldest domesticated species, and have been used for their milk, meat, hair, and skins over much of the world. In 2011, there were more than 924 million live goats around the globe, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Female goats are referred to as "does" or "nannies", intact males are called "bucks" or "billies" and juveniles of both sexes are called "kids".
Mexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine began 9,000 years ago, 7,000 BCE, when agricultural communities such as the Maya formed, domesticating maize, creating the standard process of corn nixtamalization, and establishing their foodways. Successive waves of other Mesoamerican groups, including the Olmec, Teotihuacanos, Toltec, Huastec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, and Purépecha, brought with them their own cooking methods. The Mexica establishment of the Aztec Empire created a multi-ethnic society where many different foodways became infused. The staples are native foods, such as corn, beans, squash, amaranth, chia, avocados, tomatoes, tomatillos, chocolate, vanilla, agave, turkey, sweet potato, cactus, and chili pepper.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation and breeding of animals, plants and fungi for food, fiber, biofuel, medicinal plants and other products used to sustain and enhance life. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the development of civilization. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. The history of agriculture by humans dates back thousands of years, and its development has been driven and defined by greatly different climates, cultures, and technologies; industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture farming has become the dominant agricultural method.