The Infinite Monkey Cage
The Mighty Spud - Sandy Knapp, Glenn Bryan and Susan Calman
July 30, 202542 min · 8,768 words
Show notes
Robin Ince and Brian Cox get out the ketchup and peel back the layers of one of the most versatile and beloved foods - potatoes. From the science of starch to the surprising role potatoes have played in history, we’re digging deep to uncover the truth behind the mighty spud. Chipping into the conversation are botanist Sandy Knapp, geneticist Glenn Bryan and potato passionate comedian Susan Calman.
Highlighted moments
a potato is a growth from an underground root of a plant that's used to store starch. So potato plants use potatoes to store starch so that they can last through the long, cold winters in the Andes.
“the very first drawings of potatoes from Europe had these little teeny-weeny tubers. They looked pathetic, little pea-shaped things. And very soon after coming to Europe, a mutation occurred that allowed them to tuberise in our long-day growing environment.”
Transcript
Transcript not available for this episode yet.
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