ARIZONA, USA, July 25, 2001: Scientists Joshua Tewksbury and Gary Nabhan from the University of Montana and the Northern Arizona University have discovered why chilies are so hot, a question anyone first sampling a South Indian dish might ponder. They say the burning taste is an evolutionary ploy to stop mammals eating the pods and destroying the seeds. The researchers suggest that chili plants have evolved to produce capsicum as a repellent for animals (obviously unsuccessful when it came to humans), while still allowing birds to eat the fruits and disperse the seeds.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike