this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2024
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Science Memes

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Leafa (mander.xyz)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 30 points 11 months ago (3 children)

I think that's a bad example because alcohol develops when sugar is half digested by microorganisms. Not sure about the details but alcohol isn't "actively" added to fruits by the plant. The plant wants you to eat the fruit and shit the stone into the woods. Alcohol is a byproduct nobody intended.

Better examples are caffeine, hotness in chili, ...

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The plant wants you to eat the fruit and shit the stone into the woods. Alcohol is a byproduct nobody intended.

Can't remember exactly what tree it is, but there's a rainforest tree that's almost entirely pollinated by drunk little monkeys. The monkeys are specifically attracted to the pollen with the highest alcohol content.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Wasn't that a hoax of some doku tv?

[–] SeabassDan 9 points 11 months ago (3 children)

What's the apparent evolutionary purpose for developing caffeine?

[–] Ross_audio 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)

A really bitter tasting pesticide essentially.

Us mammals coming along recently has changed some things.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

Or hot peppers...

Peppers: Mammals no eat, only birds!

Humans: Hold my rotten peach, I'ma set my tongue on fire lolz

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Roasty caffeine 😁. Mmmmmm...

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Same as nicotine. It keeps insects away

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That's a good question tbh. If I remember correctly, the effects on other animals (was it insects?) is very different from ours.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

It's toxic to insects, so it's a natural pesticide iirc