Thanksgiving Food Evolution Quiz

What did the original residents of the Americas do to the wild and barely-edible plants?

• They ignored them.

• They turned them into domesticated deliciousness.

• They exported them to Europe.

• They used them only for medicinal purposes.

Which animal is NOT mentioned as being domesticated by early American cultures?

• Llamas

• Dogs

• Guinea pigs

• Cows

What is the main reason modern turkeys are so large?

• They are given a special diet of corn and grains.

• They are allowed to roam freely.

• They are selectively bred for size and meatiness.

• They are fed special growth hormones.

What is teosinte?

• A type of turkey

• A wild grass from Mexico

• A modern variety of corn

• A type of potato

How many genetic changes might have been enough to transform teosinte into something resembling corn?

• 20

• 15

• 10

• 5

Which of the following is NOT a result of human intervention in Thanksgiving foods?

• Potato tots

• Wild turkeys

• Canned cranberry sauce

• Sweet pumpkins

What ties together the evolution of Thanksgiving foods like turkeys and corn?

• They were all discovered by Christopher Columbus.

• They all originated in Europe.

• They are all naturally occurring in their current form.

• They were all modified by human intervention.

What is the significance of the term 'heritage' or 'heirloom' in the context of Thanksgiving foods?

• They are original wild versions.

• They are modern genetically modified versions.

• They are mutant versions modified by humans.

• They are only grown in specific regions.

What is a fun fact about teosinte seeds?

• They are poisonous to humans.

• They can only grow in Mexico.

• They evolved to pass through an animal's digestive system intact.

• They are larger than corn seeds.

What is the suggested gift mentioned at the end of the video?

• A turkey recipe

• A science t-shirt

• A corn plant

• A cookbook