Everyone Was Wrong About Avocados - Including Us

The video debunks the myth that giant ground sloths were responsible for the spread of avocados. It traces the origin of this myth to speculative papers from the 1980s and highlights the lack of evidence supporting it. Instead, the video explains that humans in Mesoamerica played a significant role in cultivating avocados, leading to the larger pits we see today. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of human influence in the domestication and spread of avocados, rather than attributing it to extinct animals.

What is the primary reason plants evolved to have fruit?

• To enhance photosynthesis

• To protect seeds from predators

• To attract animals for seed dispersal

• To provide food for humans

Where did the idea that sloths spread avocados originate?

• A documentary film

• A scientific paper from the 1980s

• An ancient manuscript

• A recent scientific study

What type of evidence would be needed to prove sloths ate avocados?

• Fossilized avocado seeds

• Fossilized sloth bones

• Traces of avocado in sloth coprolites

• Avocado trees in sloth habitats

What did isotopic analysis of sloth teeth reveal about their diet?

• They primarily ate avocados

• They were strictly carnivorous

• They had a varied diet including shrubs

• They only ate grasses

What is the most likely reason for the increase in avocado pit size?

• Genetic mutation

• Natural selection by animals

• Human cultivation and selection

• Climate change

How did Mesoamericans influence the domestication of avocados?

• By using them as currency

• By planting them in deserts

• By selecting for larger pits

• By crossbreeding with other fruits

What cultural belief did some ancient Mayans have about avocados?

• They were a cure for diseases

• They were used in religious rituals

• They were associated with strength

• They were a symbol of wealth