Well, this guy seems to have discovered a particular gene that actually makes it possible
for people to taste the bitterness in certain green vegetables. But people who have a mutation
in that gene cannot taste the bitterness.
Professor: Well…that’s certainly fascinating! But…so this biologist is basically claiming that
people who like to eat these vegetables actually have some sort of sensory deficit? Sort of
makes us picky eaters than normal ones, doesn’t it? I mean, that’s kind of turning things
on their head, isn’t it?
Student: Well…then again, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it? Think of it this way: humans
originally needed to have a stronger sensitivity to bitter-tasting foods so they could learn
what plants were good for them and which ones might be poisonous. But at some point, as
people figured out what they could safely eat, this need became less crucial and a segment
of the population lost that ability.
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