Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit

Botanically, bean pods are indeed fruits, and, honestly, they are
also pretty magical. And we’re clearly not the only ones to think
that: beans are the unsung hero of history. The fact that they were
domesticated an astonishing seven different times in different
places around the world shows how essential beans were to early
humans, wherever they lived; in Europe, Italian author and polymath
Umberto Eco credits the bean with saving
civilization itself. Lately, however, the humble bean has
found its fan base declining. In Northern Europe, Australia,
Canada, and the United States, most people barely eat beans at all.
This episode—our love song to beans—we're exploring the story of
the bean's fall from grace, as well as the heirloom varieties and
exclusive club that are making beans cool again. Plus, we visit
with the Ugandan breeder working on Beans 2.0, which will take a
third less time to cook. But can anybody do anything about one of
beans' most notorious side-effects? Yes, we're talking farts: we're
on the case to discover whether scientists can develop a gas-free
bean. Listen in as we spill the beans on one of our favorite foods.
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