How Chilis Got Spicy (and Why We Love the Burn)

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 8 май 2024
  • PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to to.pbs.org/DonateEons
    ↓ More info below ↓
    Today, chilis are the most widely cultivated spice crop in the world - grown everywhere from their native home in the Americas to Europe, Africa, and Asia. But how and why did chilis evolve this weird, fiery trick in the first place? And why did we learn to love that spicy burn?
    Big thanks to Julio Lacerda ( / juliotheartist​​ ) for the excellent Capsicum domestication illustration!
    Produced in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios: / pbsdigitalstudios
    Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible:
    Hideyo Kusano, Dennis McCullough, Andria Chizen, Freddie & Brooks, Florian Heinze, WilCatRhClPPh33, Mark Talbott-Williams, Elizabeth Baker, Jake Myers, The Dec of Cards, Eddy, Angel Alchin, Julie Cohen, Sarah Ford, salsablog.band, simon read, Sean C. Kennedy, Eric Roberto Rodriguez, Hillary Ryde-Collins, Frida, Matthew Donnelly, Yu Mei, Dan Ritter, faxo, Jayme Coyle, Gary Walker, GrowingViolet, Stephanie Tan, Laura Sanborn, Minyuan Li, Ben Cooper, Leonid, Robert Noah, Matt Parker, Heathe Kyle Yeakley, Jerrit Erickson, Anton Bryl, MissyElliottSmith, Zachary Spencer, Stefan Weber, Andrey, Ilya Murashov, Merri Snaidman, Gabriel Cortez, Marcus Lejon, Robert Arévalo, Todd Dittman, Betsy Radley, Anthony Callaghan, Philip Slingerland, John Vanek, Eric Vonk, Henrik Peteri, Jon Monteiro, James Bording, Miles Chaston, Michael McClellan, Jeff Graham, Daisuke Goto, Gregory Kintz, Chandler Bass, Tsee Lee, Robert Hill
    If you'd like to support the channel, head over to / eons and pledge for some cool rewards!
    Want to follow Eons elsewhere on the internet?
    Facebook - / eonsshow
    Twitter - / eonsshow
    Instagram - / eonsshow
    References: docs.google.com/document/d/1D...
  • НаукаНаука

Комментарии • 2,8 тыс.

  • @DigitalDuelist
    @DigitalDuelist 3 года назад +8655

    I can just about guarantee that the first person to eat a hot pepper immediately got a friend to eat one telling them it was sweet.

    • @kaylaandjimbryant8258
      @kaylaandjimbryant8258 3 года назад +339

      But they are sweet when ripe!

    • @skbartistry2473
      @skbartistry2473 3 года назад +625

      I second this! Humans always prank each other. Even the ancient greeks did it (and quite extensively)

    • @NinjaPirate239
      @NinjaPirate239 3 года назад +133

      Inga Bunga unga

    • @Cashdummy
      @Cashdummy 3 года назад +306

      And then both farted and indulged in the oldest humour of all: fart humour.

    • @arcosprey4811
      @arcosprey4811 3 года назад +93

      I like the joke, but on a real note I feel like they would warn the rest of the clan and some rebellious teens grabbed them and ate them and they did the joke lol.

  • @adamthompson4072
    @adamthompson4072 3 года назад +2116

    Chillies: evolve capsaicin over millions of years to ward off animals
    Ancient humans: mmm, mouth tingly

    • @Harrier42861
      @Harrier42861 3 года назад +161

      Later humans: Let's breed it to be even spicier!

    • @konokiomomuro7632
      @konokiomomuro7632 3 года назад +98

      @@Harrier42861 Chilies: STOMP THE TABLE “No, this isn’t how you’re supposed to play the game.”

    • @FlyingDwarfman
      @FlyingDwarfman 3 года назад +106

      @@konokiomomuro7632 Chilies, Later: "Heh... wait... you're willing to help us breed and spread around the whole world if we sacrifice some of our kind to you? Deal."

    • @hydrolifetech7911
      @hydrolifetech7911 3 года назад +25

      Correction
      Ancient humans: mouth afire 🔥😍

    • @AaaaNinja
      @AaaaNinja 3 года назад +13

      Totally useless against birds though, they can't taste it.

  • @musicbyastrid
    @musicbyastrid 3 года назад +494

    "it kinda gets you high"
    [Roll footage of Hank lying under a table]

  • @Jumpoable
    @Jumpoable 10 месяцев назад +110

    It's crazy to think this spicy fruit from South America is now a NECESSARY ingredient for authentic Thai, Korean, Indian, Malaysian, Indonesian, Hunan, Sichuan, Vietnamese & various African & Southeast Asian cuisines. ❤‍🔥

    • @ennui9745
      @ennui9745 10 месяцев назад +16

      Yes indeed. The Columbian Exchange was quite remarkable in human history.

    • @MrMarinus18
      @MrMarinus18 5 месяцев назад +9

      Though you also have peppers. Unlike what some think pepper actually isn't related to chili at all and has a different active compound called peperine. It's a case of convergent evolution where peppers and chili's evolved the same trait independently. So while chili's were unknown in Asia peppers were very well known.

    • @RamBear88
      @RamBear88 2 дня назад

      How does Mexico not get a shout out

  • @NovaPotter
    @NovaPotter 3 года назад +2090

    In ancient Mexico, chilli was planted among corn, beans, etc as a way to protect the fields from grasshoppers and other insects. Also, misbehaved children were punished by making them smell burned chillis.

    • @basrengangetch.2042
      @basrengangetch.2042 3 года назад +352

      Add chili to flip flop for extra damage

    • @skaldlouiscyphre2453
      @skaldlouiscyphre2453 3 года назад +127

      And kids, that's why chipolte was invented.

    • @carnation969
      @carnation969 3 года назад +117

      Oh man, that feels like pepper spray to the face! Yet another reason to be grateful to be born now and not then

    • @fsmith45
      @fsmith45 3 года назад +38

      @@carnation969 Now the worst thing we gotta worry about is moma’s flip-flop

    • @Alusnovalotus
      @Alusnovalotus 3 года назад +78

      Finally!!!!! An intelligent comment. My long and arduous search is over!!!
      And yes, my grandma used to do this to her kids as punishment.

  • @nickvoelker7180
    @nickvoelker7180 3 года назад +2548

    Humans: I bet we can selectively breed this plant to make its fruit even spicier.
    Plant: Um, not really what I was going for.

    • @kieanjilesco7485
      @kieanjilesco7485 3 года назад +438

      Plant: *Suffering from Success*

    • @Bacopa68
      @Bacopa68 3 года назад +95

      Wild type chilis grow in central Texas once you're above the escarpment. They are tiny and very hot, and I say this as a Deep East Texan who was raised on homegrown jalapeños and cayennes. Fourth and fifth graders at my elementary school could request a bottle of tabasco vinegar at lunch. Beyonce apparently had the same experience in SW Houston because she always carried hot sauce in her bag. In the South that's redundant because you can always ask for and graciously receive a cayenne sauce and likely also tabasco vinegar.
      Hillary Clinton picked up the cayenne sauce habit in Arkansas. When she said she carried hot sauce in her bag she wasn't pandering to the youth vote by pretending to be like Beyonce, Hillary Clinton actually got into the sauce around the time Beyonce was born, and was on record mentioning this long before the song lyric.
      Wild chilis are pretty hot. Every very hot pepper is an attempt to make a fleshier version of the quite hot wild strain. Every extreme heat pepper is breeding a bigger pepper with a lot of heat back to something that looks like a wild pepper.

    • @FlyingDwarfman
      @FlyingDwarfman 3 года назад +47

      And yet it's precisely because an animal had an unintended love for the thing it should hate that the plant has spread around the whole world.
      And it's not even all that unique, even. Similar relationships have evolved this year several times in evolution -- fruits, nuts... almost every human-domesticated plant.

    • @VictorLopez-qm5kz
      @VictorLopez-qm5kz 3 года назад +34

      Chiles: "you weren't supposed to do that"

    • @Kram1032
      @Kram1032 3 года назад +37

      Plant: But sure, knock yourself out. Possibly literally.

  • @immortal_shrooms6757
    @immortal_shrooms6757 3 года назад +2006

    our brain when we eat a hot chili: " Would you like some chemical relief in these trying times"

    • @robbobthecorncobjriii8195
      @robbobthecorncobjriii8195 2 года назад +25

      You literally commented a quote from the video

    • @Intentspunk19
      @Intentspunk19 2 года назад +3

      Where did we learn to love that spicy burn?!

    • @Jason75913
      @Jason75913 2 года назад +2

      @@Intentspunk19 by throwing it into our cuisine, chili peppers are spices afterall

    • @thomasdougherty8696
      @thomasdougherty8696 2 года назад +9

      @@michael-hf7tn can I offer you an egg in these trying times?

    • @royslapped4463
      @royslapped4463 2 года назад +4

      @@Intentspunk19 Our special relationship with chili was never suppose to be..

  • @thebkstank2095
    @thebkstank2095 3 года назад +1830

    It's crazy that chili peppers have gone from making a burning sensation to writing songs about California with good basslines.

    • @MrKross-tc9yy
      @MrKross-tc9yy 3 года назад +50

      Y'know, they evolved.

    • @davidls187
      @davidls187 3 года назад +56

      Evolution is truly wonderous

    • @Burt1038
      @Burt1038 2 года назад +12

      Heh, i didn't know they were from California.

    • @DieNextInLINE
      @DieNextInLINE 2 года назад +4

      Underrated comment.

    • @DipseyDex
      @DipseyDex 2 года назад +1

      e V o L u T i O n

  • @mouseysip3067
    @mouseysip3067 3 года назад +585

    Chilli Peppers: Evolves to scare away predators
    Humans: *I like your funny taste magic plant*

    • @TheImmortalSorrow
      @TheImmortalSorrow 2 года назад +18

      Task failed succesfully

    • @pedrolmlkzk
      @pedrolmlkzk 2 года назад +8

      Same with coffee

    • @KenFullman
      @KenFullman 4 дня назад

      I suspect onion was the same. A very pungent flavour that would make feasting on them rather unpleasant but... One thing I'd like to know though is why stinging nettles seem to be targetted at us humans. Is there any other animal that is affected by stinging nettles? I've seen cattle and other anmals eat them with impunity. I just wonder why stinging nettles seem to have singled us out for punishment.

  • @corwin32
    @corwin32 3 года назад +477

    Chili peppers: “Curse you, you hairless apes! You’ve foiled us again!”

    • @papermaniac
      @papermaniac 3 года назад +36

      Humans: "why? you are now in every single continent its a win - win situation"

    • @ecurewitz
      @ecurewitz 3 года назад +12

      but were are spreading your offspring all over the world

    • @InvisionTM2
      @InvisionTM2 3 года назад +3

      What if it's the opposite?

    • @bbp2930
      @bbp2930 2 года назад

      @@papermaniac except Antarctica

  • @gab.lab.martins
    @gab.lab.martins 3 года назад +1316

    Actually, capsaicin isn’t just something birds are insensitive to, they actively love it. It feels to them how menthol feels to us. If you have access to chickens, find the hottest chile you can find and offer it to them. They devour the chiles like it’s candy. And yes, the more capsaicin, the more excited the chickens get.

  • @hachinguyen5473
    @hachinguyen5473 3 года назад +750

    Puffer fish: has poison to avoid being eaten
    Chilli: has capsicum so mammals can't consume
    .
    Human: i eat all

    • @99999bomb
      @99999bomb 3 года назад +38

      Bats: you don’t say

    • @hachinguyen5473
      @hachinguyen5473 3 года назад +6

      @@99999bomb remember scorpions? xD

    • @99999bomb
      @99999bomb 3 года назад +7

      @@hachinguyen5473 yea but bats cuased the COVID thing sooooo

    • @hachinguyen5473
      @hachinguyen5473 3 года назад +4

      @@99999bomb yahhhh i still got your point :(

    • @gkraith2995
      @gkraith2995 2 года назад +20

      Omnivore supremacy

  • @mattpinap
    @mattpinap 3 года назад +833

    You had me at "Car-Sized Armadillos"

  • @menkomonty
    @menkomonty 3 года назад +1432

    Chili Peppers: Consume us and you will be entering a fiery realm of complete torture.
    Early Humans: Eh, what's the worst that could happen?

    • @itwasagoodideaatthetime7980
      @itwasagoodideaatthetime7980 3 года назад +90

      That last sentence sums up humanity pretty succinctly.

    • @TheBlueB0mber
      @TheBlueB0mber 3 года назад +40

      modern humans: let's cultivate & spread this crop around the world like never before.

    • @cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647
      @cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647 3 года назад +11

      Addiction to the Scovill's scale needs I say more oh wait to create mega-hot peppers

    • @bablo82
      @bablo82 3 года назад +12

      Don't wanna nitpick but they're not really early humans technically, 16kya was relatively recent

    • @Pauly421
      @Pauly421 3 года назад +2

      @@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980 That sense of risk and curiosity has lead us this far lol.

  • @Mark_nobody3
    @Mark_nobody3 3 года назад +208

    Chill - “We have hot skin to defend ourselves, nothing can destroy us”
    Human - “Oh? New plant let’s have a taste test” 🥸

    • @bearcubdaycare
      @bearcubdaycare 3 года назад +10

      Which, ironically, led to great success for chilis.

    • @theguardian8317
      @theguardian8317 3 года назад +1

      @@bearcubdaycare not "ironically" in regards of birds and some hominids (homo-sapiens aren't the only mammals that eat chiles). What some animals eat is not only about genetics but also circumstances.

    • @KOKOBC
      @KOKOBC 2 года назад +6

      Humans: enjoys it
      Chili: you weren’t supposed to do that

  • @Alexander_Sannikov
    @Alexander_Sannikov 3 года назад +223

    I like it how Russia is one of approximately 1.5 countries in the world that did not end up cultivating chilis. That's why we consider anything spicier than mashed potatoes very spicy.

    • @erichamilton3373
      @erichamilton3373 2 года назад +5

      Most Latin Americans don't like chiles either despite them originating there.

    • @laprincesa3608
      @laprincesa3608 2 года назад +34

      @@erichamilton3373 sure……

    • @ennui9745
      @ennui9745 2 года назад +19

      @@erichamilton3373 Is this true?
      Meanwhile Asians love chili peppers and they didn't even exist in Asia until Europeans brought them there.

    • @dexorne9753
      @dexorne9753 2 года назад +7

      @@ennui9745 not really, though it varies from place to place I'd say generally we enjoy it. Not as much as some Asians though, we are probably second place lol

    • @ennui9745
      @ennui9745 2 года назад +13

      @@dexorne9753 I am Filipino and we love chilies, but nowhere near as much as the Thai do.

  • @MortyMortyMorty
    @MortyMortyMorty 3 года назад +791

    Chili: Develops a defense mechanism against fungi and animals over 100 million years.
    Humans: Oh, baby I like it that way 😉

    • @ladysilverwynde
      @ladysilverwynde 3 года назад +102

      Chili: I create a compound that makes your mouth feel like its on fire.
      Humans: Jokes on you I'm into that s**t.

    • @MortyMortyMorty
      @MortyMortyMorty 3 года назад +6

      @@ladysilverwynde Oh yeah I wanted to comment this but did not remember exactly this one :D

    • @anubhavpal5782
      @anubhavpal5782 2 года назад +4

      We homo sapiens like it hot

    • @sagesarrazine6270
      @sagesarrazine6270 2 года назад +1

      I'd like this comment but you're at 420 and I don't wanna be the one to ruin that

    • @boulderbash19700209
      @boulderbash19700209 2 года назад +1

      Not all animals, just mammals.

  • @jasepoag8930
    @jasepoag8930 3 года назад +253

    Plant: Don't eat me, look at my colors, I will hurt your mouth.
    Human: IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!

  • @andrietsa
    @andrietsa 3 года назад +133

    The footage of Hank trying not to die from chilli overdose: priceless!

  • @neeklahs
    @neeklahs 3 года назад +346

    Chili: Develops a defense mechanism that triggers heat and pain on mammals.
    masochist monkey: 😲 🔥 🥰

    • @pedrolmlkzk
      @pedrolmlkzk 2 года назад +11

      We are apes :<
      edit: actually we are hominids

    • @Jason75913
      @Jason75913 2 года назад +5

      @@pedrolmlkzk our ancestors are "hominids", we are _humans_

    • @pedrolmlkzk
      @pedrolmlkzk 2 года назад +5

      @@Jason75913 "The Hominidae (/hɒˈmɪnɪdiː/), whose members are known as great apes[note 1] or hominids (/ˈhɒmɪnɪdz/), are a taxonomic family of primates that includes eight extant species in four genera: Pongo (the Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan); Gorilla (the eastern and western gorilla); Pan (the chimpanzee and the bonobo); and Homo, of which only modern humans remain.[1]"-wikipedia

    • @Jason75913
      @Jason75913 2 года назад +1

      @@pedrolmlkzk oh, I see, lol

  • @Wolfina1
    @Wolfina1 3 года назад +212

    My aunt had a Rottweiler mix that used to eat the jalapeños right off the plant. They had to set up a fence around the plants otherwise she would eat them all 😂

    • @piglin469
      @piglin469 3 года назад +4

      ha

    • @jonathanwilliams1065
      @jonathanwilliams1065 3 года назад +26

      Dogs are strange

    • @piglin469
      @piglin469 3 года назад +3

      @@jonathanwilliams1065 yes sooooooo

    • @GTAVictor9128
      @GTAVictor9128 3 года назад +44

      I once let my dog taste a drop of hot chili sauce. After she licked it, she started extending and retracting her tongue continuously for a minute.
      Afterwards, when I showed her the bottle of the chili sauce, she ran away in fear having learnt from that experience.

    • @piglin469
      @piglin469 3 года назад +8

      @@GTAVictor9128 well animals are smart

  • @GremlinReal
    @GremlinReal 3 года назад +309

    Seeing Hank die over the hot sauce was so weird to see because I'm only used to watching him be big brain and formal in videos

    • @lauriedurk
      @lauriedurk 3 года назад +24

      It’s nice to see him on the channel again though.

    • @GremlinReal
      @GremlinReal 3 года назад +14

      @@lauriedurk I miss him on the channel

    • @madelinerose5286
      @madelinerose5286 3 года назад +15

      You should see his tik tok account then

    • @samlava3026
      @samlava3026 3 года назад +1

      formal ? he's very often goofy

    • @nerdyninjatemptress
      @nerdyninjatemptress 3 года назад

      Follow him on TikTok, you’ll see him as a huge goofball soon.

  • @kolerick
    @kolerick 3 года назад +72

    "while mamals quickly learned to stay away from this group of irritating fruits"
    Homo sapiens sapiens: I like to play with fire. I like it.

  • @deptusmechanikus7362
    @deptusmechanikus7362 3 года назад +45

    Peppers: evolve burning defenses to keep annoying mammals always
    That one "special" mammal: loves getting burned so much that start cultivating the pepper
    **task failed successfully**

  • @enriqueramos2426
    @enriqueramos2426 3 года назад +757

    Chillis: We well be protected from creatures if we burn them
    We Mexicans: I will add you and corn to every food from now on

    • @amalsp8955
      @amalsp8955 3 года назад +63

      Indians: hello there

    • @rohitwankhede9153
      @rohitwankhede9153 3 года назад +3

      @@amalsp8955 ya

    • @rohitwankhede9153
      @rohitwankhede9153 3 года назад +4

      @@amalsp8955 this is yummy 😋😋😋

    • @Wildman-lc3ur
      @Wildman-lc3ur 3 года назад +1

      It's more like meso Americans than mexicans as chili peppers and corn were domesticated by them (meso Americans being indigenous people in Central America)
      Mexicans are a mix of meso American and Spanish conquistadors/Spanish immigrants

    • @s1mplem4gic58
      @s1mplem4gic58 3 года назад +14

      It is crazy. I'm half Mexican and I'm alright with some spice but I'm not crazy about it. My dad though ALWAYS has his peppers on the side which he'll just eat as a snack and of course he loves Tobasco sauce but who doesn't?

  • @WillyOrca
    @WillyOrca 3 года назад +412

    First Human to eat pepper: wow that was pretty intense! Thought I was dying there for a minute. I'm glad the pain is finally over.
    Pepper being digested: for now...

    • @KlavierMenn
      @KlavierMenn 2 года назад +13

      Ooof, dont remind me the time I mixed Chipotle and calabrese pepper powder in a Subway sandwich.

    • @mannyruiz1954
      @mannyruiz1954 2 года назад +2

      LMAO

    • @romxxii
      @romxxii Год назад +8

      the first peppers were probably mild, just like ancient corn was literally a grass. Ancient Mesoamericans -- then later, the rest of the planet -- just kept breeding them for higher capsaicin concentrations.

    • @WillyOrca
      @WillyOrca Год назад +6

      @@romxxii why are you ruining this for me

    • @nelgreivnaj6116
      @nelgreivnaj6116 11 месяцев назад +3

      After the first guy tried he was like bro try this pepper . Lol

  • @Elipseon
    @Elipseon 3 года назад +16

    I think the squirrel that destroyed my dads jalapeno crop on one plant 2 years ago begs to differ about humans being the only mammals who willingly eat peppers. I watched the little guy pick off a pepper, bite it, run around the yard after immediately dropping it and then running back to the plant and repeating the process over the course of 30 minutes until there were no peppers left. Clearly didn't like the burning sensation but kept coming back for more.

    • @pigcatapult
      @pigcatapult 5 месяцев назад +5

      Little guy musta been desperate

  • @SeaJay_Oceans
    @SeaJay_Oceans 3 года назад +65

    To the generations that dedicated their lives to raising Chili peppers, THANK YOU !

  • @erinrising2799
    @erinrising2799 3 года назад +765

    plus if your nose is stuffed up from (seasonal) allergies, chilies will clear them out
    Edited to add seasonal for people allergic to chillies. Duh of course don't take something if you're allergic to it.

    • @JohnSmith-hs3po
      @JohnSmith-hs3po 3 года назад +13

      Or from hammering the ching haha

    • @alejandrorobles6865
      @alejandrorobles6865 3 года назад +45

      And bring a new kind of suffering

    • @alessandrorivera7468
      @alessandrorivera7468 3 года назад +3

      @@JohnSmith-hs3po uhh, bro?

    • @blijen
      @blijen 3 года назад +6

      @@alessandrorivera7468 chill bro hammer the ching one time

    • @ZentaBon
      @ZentaBon 3 года назад +8

      Yes they will and I LOVE IT

  • @Taverius
    @Taverius 3 года назад +484

    Watching Hank in pain is very relaxing. 10/10 would Schadenfreude again. 🤣🍿

    • @antsote
      @antsote 3 года назад +9

      He's such a goofball, I love it

    • @ricardofbn
      @ricardofbn 3 года назад

      @RIOT or maybe played Lobotomy Corp

    • @theherk
      @theherk 3 года назад

      scoodin'-nfroody

    • @user-nf9xc7ww7m
      @user-nf9xc7ww7m 3 года назад +6

      4 things:
      1) I thought thst the reason birds could eat it but not slobbering mammals was because birds have much less saliva (water spreads the capcaisin).
      2) why did it take so long for humans to domesticate peppers? For that matter, why so long to domesticate wheat, which only happened 4,000 years earlier? Were humans on screensaver for the vast majority of their existence?
      3) it was stated that capsicum broke off early but it did not state from what. If I did my research correctly, it is from nightshade, such as tomatoes.
      4) so eating spicy peppers gives the same effect as self-cutting does? Well, that's depressing...not in a cut myself kind of way, but still will not look at that the same way again.

  • @hub6490
    @hub6490 3 года назад +3

    My cat developed a taste for chili too. At first he tear after eat my spicy foods but now he really love spicy foods and meow to me every time I eat some yummy spicy foods.

  • @randydominguez666
    @randydominguez666 2 года назад +10

    Huge thanks and respect to the first human that ate a pepper, probably raw, felt the pain and instead of freaking out he did it again and again. How bland our food would be without spice otherwise

  • @vladimirlagos2688
    @vladimirlagos2688 3 года назад +554

    As a Latin American who grew up on spicy food, I must say this video actually made me quite hungry for a chilli snack...

    • @sciencewolf7775
      @sciencewolf7775 3 года назад +17

      SAME

    • @abrarbw
      @abrarbw 3 года назад +13

      As a South-Asian, same.

    • @cheetahjammerplaysaj591
      @cheetahjammerplaysaj591 3 года назад +6

      I’m East Asian(Korean) and I feel the same too xD

    • @ImGodTheMaryBanger
      @ImGodTheMaryBanger 3 года назад +1

      As a southern Australian I'd say the same but I just ate a huge plate of nachos so I got my fix already. Chilli not really a big thing here just wanted to add to the "south" theme

    • @aaronmacy9134
      @aaronmacy9134 3 года назад

      As a Northern European who grew up on what I only recently discovered to be the literal definition of “porridge” (..not to much cinnamon, please), I too am craving the heat that leaves me dabbing for days (TP, not circa 2015 dance move).

  • @Ashley-vg8fv
    @Ashley-vg8fv 3 года назад +778

    Chilis: "yes, I am now hot, things won't bother me."
    Humans: "HeeHoo tasty spice"

    • @iansteelmatheson
      @iansteelmatheson 3 года назад +5

      but that's the point. they kill lots of things, many of which make us sick. that's why hotter parts of the world with more parasites and bacteria have spicier food. the spices help protect us by killing them.

    • @HilBethJay
      @HilBethJay 3 года назад +36

      Tea plants/coffee plants/cacao: "Well, we have this super bad chemical called caffeine that will make things not bother me!"
      Humans: "HeeHoo speed juice."

    • @rogeriopenna9014
      @rogeriopenna9014 3 года назад +1

      It seems to have worked against southern south americans.

    • @heinzerbrew
      @heinzerbrew 3 года назад

      what does heehoo mean?

    • @rogeriopenna9014
      @rogeriopenna9014 3 года назад

      @@heinzerbrew probably something like "woohoo".
      "Woohoo is an exclamation of excitement or joy. Woohoo is typically used alone as an interjection preceding or following a sentence that explains what the excitement is about. It is also seen as woo-hoo, woo hoo, and whoo-hoo. Example: Woohoo!"
      Replace "woohoo" in that explanation by "heehoo".

  • @fcm3d
    @fcm3d 2 года назад +19

    Man chilis leaves saved me so many times when I was a kid. I would get huge boils all the time and one of my uncles taught me if I burnt a chilis leaf a little and crushed it and put it on the boil it would bring the core to the top. Easy pop and no more pain.

  • @aurochf1
    @aurochf1 2 года назад +3

    That's why in Spain we started making chorizo, suddently there was a spice that helped preserve food well that we could grow in our gardens.

  • @ayi0512
    @ayi0512 3 года назад +423

    Now, imagine those first humans seeing a glyptodont and exclaiming "oh wow, an armadillo the size of a car!"

    • @possummagic3571
      @possummagic3571 3 года назад +105

      And their friend would've said, "Wait, what's a car?".

    • @jocosesonata
      @jocosesonata 3 года назад +110

      @@possummagic3571
      "I don't know, but it's about as big as that armadillo."

    • @evandickinson6393
      @evandickinson6393 3 года назад +32

      That was when the time traveler looked right-left and muttered "huh? What? I didn't say anything..."

    • @farhanisraq5102
      @farhanisraq5102 3 года назад +26

      @@possummagic3571 “wait 10,000 years and you’ll see”

    • @nyx3748
      @nyx3748 3 года назад +8

      Phineas and Ferb fans raise your hands.

  • @GhostHuntsman
    @GhostHuntsman 3 года назад +99

    I'm so grateful for chilis. Along with therapy, medication, and physical activity, their spicyness has helped me so much with my struggle with mental illness.

  • @MarkSmith-js2pu
    @MarkSmith-js2pu 3 года назад +6

    A Mexican American customer of mine grew many varieties and gave me bunch of each kind. I made them last a very long time. I planted a bunch to keep the legacy going.

  • @toptierassassin1219
    @toptierassassin1219 3 года назад +15

    Cavemen :eats chilly pepper and starts burning his mouth but say it tastes good.
    Other Cavemen:Noted

    • @lorenapacora1526
      @lorenapacora1526 2 года назад +1

      they werent cavemen though

    • @toptierassassin1219
      @toptierassassin1219 2 года назад

      @@lorenapacora1526 it’s just for the memes I know they weren’t cavemen

  • @itacom2199
    @itacom2199 3 года назад +576

    The alternative title might be: "How a series of complicated evolutionary shenanigans of the other side of the planet led to me having a complicated love-hate relationship with tiny red fruits".

    • @DigitalDuelist
      @DigitalDuelist 3 года назад +14

      Though entertaining ot lacks brevity 🤔

    • @matthoward7645
      @matthoward7645 3 года назад +1

      That is the correct. Title end. Of.

    • @itacom2199
      @itacom2199 3 года назад +1

      @@DigitalDuelist Yeah, that might be a problem

    • @itacom2199
      @itacom2199 3 года назад

      @@matthoward7645 You have the same problem, do you?

    • @matthoward7645
      @matthoward7645 3 года назад +1

      @@itacom2199 exactly the same I go back to the little red barsteds more than my baby muma 😅

  • @shs7009
    @shs7009 3 года назад +586

    Capsicum: I want to spread as much as possible. Let's deter slow spreaders like mammals through capsaicin.
    Monké: Eats and cultivates throughout the world.
    Capsicum: Monké unexpectedly proved vital in our mission. Task failed successfully.

  • @ansarimohdfiroz2288
    @ansarimohdfiroz2288 3 года назад +4

    Love the fact that you acknowledged the natives of the land

  • @blueberrylane8340
    @blueberrylane8340 3 года назад +1

    This was surprisingly informative for such a short video, great work!

  • @robinhahnsopran
    @robinhahnsopran 3 года назад +100

    Something about this episode is just so... heartwarming.

  • @cs2d20
    @cs2d20 3 года назад +69

    So that’s why I feel like I’m addicted to spicy food. Turns out I actually am

  • @NathanPonce
    @NathanPonce 3 года назад +3

    I really appreciate the territory acknowledgment at the end. 💗✊🏾💗

  • @tomc8115
    @tomc8115 3 года назад

    Wow. Extremely well done and informative! Thank you.

  • @Icewaved2
    @Icewaved2 3 года назад +217

    Pepper: Ha! Now I cause pain and I will be safe from consumption
    Like every human culture: mm don't mind if I do

  • @nicknackpattywhack3485
    @nicknackpattywhack3485 3 года назад +109

    Does anyone else quietly say “and Steve” at the end?

    • @Davey-Boyd
      @Davey-Boyd 3 года назад +12

      Yes

    • @magikarp8084
      @magikarp8084 3 года назад +8

      I didn't see your comment before posting mine. But I was expecting to hear Steve and didn't. Hope he is well.

    • @profharveyherrera
      @profharveyherrera 3 года назад +10

      Still waiting for Steve to become an eonite again

    • @DFloyd84
      @DFloyd84 3 года назад +1

      @@magikarp8084 He's still recovering after eating a whole plate of spicy chilis.

    • @VeteranVandal
      @VeteranVandal 3 года назад +1

      Me :(

  • @ChuckRusty
    @ChuckRusty 3 года назад +1

    Definitely addicting. I started my spice journey with a Slim Jim (Mild) at around 4 years old. My love for spicy foods grew from there. From that point on, I just worked my way up the spice ladder, eventually growing my own peppers in my teen years (jalapeno, banana, cayenne, tabasco, and habanero peppers). I used to make salsa with them. Through adulthood I have enjoyed the wide range of extra hot peppers, ghost, scorpion, and so on. Great video!

  • @tuanminhnguyen4625
    @tuanminhnguyen4625 3 года назад +10

    "Level of 2 neurotransmitters suddenly rise, endorphin and dopamine" Hmmm sounds like drugs. It is definitely a drug and I am addicted to it 😂😂😂

  • @spooksboh6251
    @spooksboh6251 3 года назад +19

    i have to say, hank absolutely suffering in the background while she calmly explains science elevates this video from good to godly

  • @JoseAyapan
    @JoseAyapan 3 года назад +312

    I bet the consumption of chilli peppers started as a prank among people, until some odd kind of masochistic guy foud it quite delicious.

    • @bleuemoone8710
      @bleuemoone8710 3 года назад +47

      we were probably drawn to the new flavor, plus anti-microbial properties were a bonus to stop food from spoiling

    • @krankarvolund7771
      @krankarvolund7771 3 года назад +62

      Don't forget that unlike other aimals we can dilute the flavor of what we eat thanks to cooking ^^
      Yeah, the first human to eat them would have found them extremely hot, ut the second one would have thought "Hey, if I put that in like a kilo of maize, the hotness is not as bad, and the maize is a lot better" ^^

    • @joshuasims5421
      @joshuasims5421 3 года назад +10

      Based on the microfossil chili proteins found in corn, I’d guess they mixed ground peppers in with grain to prevent spoilage and learned to put up with the burning sensation-same as alcoholic. As for how it started, maybe they gathered some peppers along with other grains, mixed them together and were pleased to see it didn’t spoil.

    • @_eko_ill.1779
      @_eko_ill.1779 3 года назад +1

      @@bleuemoone8710 o

    • @cyanide2813
      @cyanide2813 3 года назад +3

      @@joshuasims5421 or, a masochist thought the chilli was bussin

  • @briganja
    @briganja 2 года назад +14

    This was so interesting! Thanks so much for the content!
    I was wondering about the different plant that developed capsicum in SE Asia. When I lived in Indonesia the chilies (cabe) had such a different taste from what I’ve had in the Americas... is this the different evolution that you were talking about or is that simply the result of generations of cultivation in a new environment?
    Thanks again for the content! Love your show!

  • @gah-kaileung7075
    @gah-kaileung7075 2 года назад +1

    This has to be one of my favourite PBS Eons videos ever

  • @denys-p
    @denys-p 3 года назад +170

    Chilies: Don’t eat us, humans. We developed capsaicin to ward you off!
    Humans: Pain makes my mouth go brrrrrr

    • @caboosemd123
      @caboosemd123 3 года назад +4

      It do though. Chiles make my mouth go brrrrrrr

    • @PaulaBean
      @PaulaBean 3 года назад +4

      Chiles makes my mouth go yummmmmm

  • @Mojabi_ghost
    @Mojabi_ghost 3 года назад +146

    As someone who’s family is native to Central America this was quite entertaining, and am incredibly happy to see what my ancestors were doing in earlier times, Thank you PBS:)

    • @firelunamoon
      @firelunamoon 3 года назад +14

      Thank you to your ancestors, they're the reason we have so much delicious food in the world. And not just the chilies I think. So many of the vegetables and foods we eat today originated with the natives.

    • @MrSigmaSharp
      @MrSigmaSharp 3 года назад +7

      Thanks to your fathers for chilies and avocados

    • @DeedeedollieF
      @DeedeedollieF 3 года назад +3

      Lets not forget tomatoes and chocolate

    • @davidjoelsson4929
      @davidjoelsson4929 3 года назад

      @@DeedeedollieF choco plant* Chocolate with diary is invented in europe. Native americans diet was not made up of diary much they made drinks with choco plant

    • @p_ro9532
      @p_ro9532 3 года назад +2

      @@davidjoelsson4929 they did have hot chocolate.

  • @issagahan6693
    @issagahan6693 2 года назад +2

    I remember going to the Cerro Rico mine museum in Potosí and seeing chili peppers (ají) between the things that miners carried all the time, the guide said it was chewed on to increase the miner's body temperature.

  • @iamcatlegend
    @iamcatlegend 3 года назад +3

    I wish we got videos more than once a week. If I watch one the moment it drops, I keep checking all week (and let's not talk about the skipped weeks) for a new video, and if I hold off I keep expecting to be able to watch a few at once even though, you know, I only waited three or four days.

  • @rogerhinman5427
    @rogerhinman5427 3 года назад +183

    Chilis exclaim "We will make you writhe in pain." Humanity replies "What's the safe word?"

  • @GG-fm8is
    @GG-fm8is 3 года назад +57

    Chilies: Evolve to be spicy so animals don’t eat them.
    Weird hairless ape: sounds tasty I want one

  • @Hi_Im_Akward
    @Hi_Im_Akward 2 года назад +4

    My dogs actually really really love spicy food and actively beg for the spicy goodness. I don't give them much because I don't know how it affects them but they definitely like it.

  • @vasanth2851
    @vasanth2851 11 месяцев назад

    What a burst of happy sunshine this lady is!

  • @369destroyer
    @369destroyer 3 года назад +31

    That acknowledgement at the end was a pleasent surprise, way to go respecting the native people :)

  • @lagestita
    @lagestita 3 года назад +106

    My parrots love chillies and people keep asking me if it's going to hurt them. I'll link this video a lot. Great!

    • @googlesucks6029
      @googlesucks6029 3 года назад +1

      Where is the parrot video?

    • @lagestita
      @lagestita 3 года назад

      @@googlesucks6029 I don't upload videos on youtube. I meant that I was going to share this video with everyone who thinks I'm going to kill my birds because I give them chillies. I have lots of videos of my birds eating chillies, they really like them. They don't seem bothered at all. Chillies basically evolved to be eaten by birds so birds don't feel the spicy from chillies.

  • @1pussychicken
    @1pussychicken 3 года назад +5

    This was really fascinating information.... I love chili and it's really interesting to know about it's origins and the theories associated with why it became so popular. We grow lots here in Australia. In fact my daughters family farms chili near the NSW and Queensland border in Australia. I will definitely be passing this upload onto her. Many thanks.... ;-)

  • @IanGrams
    @IanGrams 3 года назад

    This was super interesting, thanks for making this! Also that clip of Hank was hilarious. Is that uploaded somewhere to watch in full?

  • @Ghennesph
    @Ghennesph 3 года назад +47

    my pet degu actually developed a taste for it after a while. first time, he was pretty mad about it, but after that, he'd go for spicy food on his own.

    • @pattonramming1988
      @pattonramming1988 3 года назад +7

      Wtf is a degu?

    • @sam2866
      @sam2866 3 года назад +10

      @@pattonramming1988 types of rodents from Chile

    • @cbsboyer
      @cbsboyer 3 года назад +28

      At one point they tried adding capsaicin to wire insulation to deter rodents, but found after some time some squirrels decided they liked the burn and would specifically seek out the spicy wires and ended up doing more damage than the squirrels that were just randomly gnawing on things. Oops.

    • @Ghennesph
      @Ghennesph 3 года назад +9

      @@pattonramming1988 a relative of the squirrel and chinchilla. About the size of a common rat, but has a gerbil tail and a squirrel face. Very smart, great pets.

    • @johnmckown1267
      @johnmckown1267 3 года назад +5

      My friend likes super hot chili con carne. He gave some to his dog. The dog took one lick, backed off, and barked at it for 5 minutes. Then gave my friend a dirty look and laid down.

  • @danielschechter8130
    @danielschechter8130 3 года назад +391

    In the English-speaking world we refer to the senasation produced by chilis as "hot." However in the Spanish-speaking world the sensation is described as "picante." Literally "stinging." We say it burns. They say it stings. Personally, I think that "stinging" is a more accurate description.

    • @Sofie424
      @Sofie424 3 года назад +16

      Both!

    • @holmiumh
      @holmiumh 2 года назад +30

      Well, In Chinese cuisine (or more specifically Sichuan cuisine) we have this spice called Sichuan pepper, it probably does "stinging" more cleanly than chili pepper, in fact, depends on the variety and dosage you can get tingling, stinging and numbness. As you might imagine the peppercorn pairs extremely well with chili pepper and the pair defines modern Sichuan cuisine, good stuff.

    • @veritush
      @veritush 2 года назад +4

      I say pain 😭

    • @lordarthur2165
      @lordarthur2165 2 года назад +4

      It's the same word for that in Portuguese, so cool!

    • @danielschechter8130
      @danielschechter8130 2 года назад +1

      @@lordarthur2165
      Yes. Spanish and Portuguese are very similar.

  • @UberMiguel603
    @UberMiguel603 Год назад +1

    One element of our symbiosis with spice could very well be that those who ate spicy foods were less likely to get sick due to their antibiotic properties, possibly even staving off food illness without reliable storage techniques.
    This last point was touched upon but not quite from the medicinal perspective.

  • @noahsnyder4202
    @noahsnyder4202 3 года назад

    This channel is so great and informative!

  • @sewaprolo
    @sewaprolo 3 года назад +101

    Eating chiles is México's national sport.

  • @black_hydra1618
    @black_hydra1618 3 года назад +35

    Human: *eats pepper for first time* damn its spicy I want more
    Plant: No that's not how you are supposed to play the game

  • @GreyJedi73
    @GreyJedi73 Год назад

    This was exactly what I was wondering about. Thanks!!

  • @ritukiran
    @ritukiran 2 года назад

    Could you also make a series on the evolution of plants too - right till the angiosperms! This was fun! I really enjoyed all the series!

  • @SuperBC1975
    @SuperBC1975 3 года назад +38

    Chilis: "Me mind on fire / Me soul on fire, feeling hot, hot, hot!"

  • @RaderGH
    @RaderGH 3 года назад +50

    Watching Hank reaction the hot sauces is amazing. Also, pro-tip freezing and grating chillies over food is amazing, learnt that by growing chillies since 2014.

    • @dexorne9753
      @dexorne9753 2 года назад +3

      Wow that sounds awesome, hopefully in a couple years if I grow my own chillies I'll remember this comment and try it lol

  • @TheSokwe
    @TheSokwe 3 года назад

    The acknowledgement at the end there, made me very happy.

  • @captaintoyota3171
    @captaintoyota3171 2 года назад +2

    This is why i love spiking the shower temp wayyyy hot. It definitely relaxes my inflammation and soreness from hard labor. That feeling if being overwhelming hot in shower and stepping into cold a/c air is amazing. Gotta be similar function as this receptor.

    • @deepseasqueeze9081
      @deepseasqueeze9081 11 месяцев назад

      Old comment I know but I absolutely love really hot showers. I don't like coming out of them, though. It's nice in the shower but it makes the cold afterwards much worse for me. Doesn't keep me from taking very hot showers but I'm frozen for a few minutes afterwards.

  • @alexcamacho1842
    @alexcamacho1842 3 года назад +129

    Chili peppers: nnnooooo, you can’t just eat us and not spread our seeds, you’re a mammal!!!
    Humans: ha ha, capsaicin go bbuurrrn

    • @idkimlikereallybored9533
      @idkimlikereallybored9533 3 года назад +5

      we literally spread its seeds better than all the birds in history combined lol

    • @Burn_Angel
      @Burn_Angel 3 года назад

      "Haha, spicy. Wonder if we can make it more spicy"
      THEN IT GOT SPICIER AND SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD.

    • @davidjoelsson4929
      @davidjoelsson4929 3 года назад

      @@idkimlikereallybored9533 thank colonizers for that

    • @karlshorstzwei
      @karlshorstzwei 2 года назад

      We do spread the seeds. Why do you think it makes some people go to the toilet?

  • @Funkiotologist
    @Funkiotologist 3 года назад +94

    Babe wake up, new Eons video

    • @s1mplem4gic58
      @s1mplem4gic58 3 года назад +7

      🔫 👁️👄👁️ "I lied. We're not watching Netflix. Now get under the blanket and watch the Eons video."

    • @Funkiotologist
      @Funkiotologist 3 года назад +6

      @@s1mplem4gic58 Eons videos > everything else

  • @Magnulus76
    @Magnulus76 2 года назад +2

    In hot climates, piquant foods tend to cause vasodilation, which is perceived as cooling. It's the same reason that peppermint is frequently consumed in hot climates as well.

  • @casaroccafamilyking
    @casaroccafamilyking 3 года назад

    Absolutely DELIGHTFUL episode!!!

  • @stephanienunez3922
    @stephanienunez3922 3 года назад +101

    Wow wow wow! As someone who’s family comes from Mexico and has a passion for all things spicy, I have to say this has been one of my favorite Eons videos so far! ❤️

  • @MaddoxLightning
    @MaddoxLightning 3 года назад +25

    Thank you, as always, for your acknowledgment of the indigenous people and lands! Wishing you well Eons team!

  • @CarminesRCTipsandTricks
    @CarminesRCTipsandTricks 3 года назад +5

    Kallie... As always, you were enlightening and extremely Charming!! It's always a joy to see you present.
    ....... But half this Video, all I was thinking was POOR HANK!!! 😜😂

  • @PaulaBean
    @PaulaBean 3 года назад

    Very nice presentation! I love chillies and use them in almost every meal. And the shrew is very cute.

  • @seaofseeof
    @seaofseeof 3 года назад +68

    Shout to to everyone whose parrot loves giving them eskimo kisses after eating chilis.

  • @bf3and4highlights83
    @bf3and4highlights83 3 года назад +69

    When my son was little, I challenged him to eat a stupid hot pepper that our neighbor grew. The reward was $20 (when that was actually worth something) and I would eat one as well. He grabbed one and bit into it. Instead of spitting it out immediately, he realized that a prank was being pulled on him so he looked at me, clenched his fists and then proceeded to eat the whole pepper while staring at me with tears pouring out of his eyes. I've never broken my word to him so......

    • @monticore1626
      @monticore1626 3 года назад +14

      You are so good, my dad still owes me 100$ for eating some hot sauce

    • @Dougallism420
      @Dougallism420 3 года назад +3

      A good father. A legendary son.

    • @monkestronk1227
      @monkestronk1227 3 года назад +3

      The boy is too dedicated. Make sure his goals are good for humanity or else he may become a super villain instead of a super hero

    • @winkpoke1576
      @winkpoke1576 3 года назад +3

      @ sounds like a hero to me

    • @NafeeGaming
      @NafeeGaming 3 года назад +4

      A man of sheer will power

  • @AnaMahsati
    @AnaMahsati 2 года назад +1

    I appreciate that last disclaimer. Good company policy.

  • @matthew7creeks266
    @matthew7creeks266 2 года назад +1

    I appreciate your acknowledgement of the indigenous peoples. They deserve that.

  • @TheGodEmperorOfMankind_
    @TheGodEmperorOfMankind_ 3 года назад +32

    Me: Eats a habanero pepper and proceeds to almost die
    Also me: Damn I love this, I'll have another one

  • @GringatTheRepugnant
    @GringatTheRepugnant 3 года назад +22

    I wasn't expecting footage of a chilli-rushed Hank but I can certainly appreciate it :P

  • @Articulate99
    @Articulate99 Год назад +1

    Always interesting, thank you.

  • @mikedrop4421
    @mikedrop4421 3 года назад

    I really liked the explanation as to why people get a rush from capsaicin. If anyone has watched a little kid eat something really spicy by mistake there is a look of abject fear that comes across their face. They don't understand they aren't being injured. Well put.

  • @trentonmeyer461
    @trentonmeyer461 3 года назад +27

    Hey eons could you do a special about the sturgeon it's a fish that first appeared 200 million years ago and has branched into many fresh and saltwater species and they was supper successful in there respective habits but when humans started industry fishing them a lot of species became vulnerable and endangered or threatened, if you guys can make a video of the sturgeon it would really make me happy because then the sturgeon can hopefully get more support that they need

  • @aevangel1
    @aevangel1 3 года назад +43

    Chili plants: I have developed the perfect defense against eating.
    Humans: Haha spicy fruit go brrrrrrrnnn

  • @gaufrid1956
    @gaufrid1956 2 года назад +9

    I enjoy a bit of chili, and I did once eat a ghost chili which is extra hot, but my best friend here in the Philippines is literally addicted to chili, despite the fact he often has loose bowel motions! His favorite food is kinilaw, which is basically raw fish marinated in vinegar, with ginger, cucumber, chili, kalamansi (lime) and sometimes coconut milk. The hotter the chilis, or the more of them, the more he likes it! For him, kinilaw is "pulutan", something you eat while drinking beer or brandy. It puts a big smile on his face! Sometimes I will eat some, but it's his treat, so I usually leave it all for him!

  • @atalbott06
    @atalbott06 3 года назад +1

    I just love learning new things!