Popcorn, the whimsical and delicious snack, has a fascinating history. All corn today is derived from teosinte, a tall grass selectively bred by Indigenous people in southern Mexico 9,000 years ago. Teosinte kernels would explode when heated, resulting in popcorn. The pressure inside the kernel causes the moisture to turn into steam, transforming starch into a gel-like substance that bursts the hard shell. Popcorn cultivation spread through the Americas, and European colonizers eventually embraced it. Popcorn gained popularity with the invention of the popcorn machine at the 1893 World's Fair. Initially shunned by theaters, it became a staple during the Great Depression, offering affordable entertainment. Today, popcorn sales contribute significantly to movie theater profits worldwide.
Vocabulary:
• To Yield
To supply or produce something positive.
• Foam
A mass of very small bubbles formed on the surface of a liquid.
• Parched
Dried out because of too much heat and not enough rain.
• Moviegoers
A person who regularly goes to watch films at the cinema.