University of Alabama research traces the spicy history of chili peppers

By: Jessica Nelson

The history of the chili pepper is in some ways the history of humanity in the Americas, says Katherine Chiou, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Alabama.

As a paleoethnobotanist, Chiou studies the long-term relationship between people and plants through archaeological remains. In a paper published recently, Chiou outlines evidence that the domestication of Capsicum annuum var. annuum, the species responsible for most commercially available chilis, occurred in a different region of Mexico than has been previously believed.

Unearthing evidence — “Typically, what has been preserved in Mexico are extraordinary circumstances like cave sites, for example, that are high and dry with conditions that allow for extraordinary preservation,” Chiou said.

The Alabama Weather Blog is pleased to present an excerpt from a featured article in partnership with the Alabama News Center. For the full post including images, videos, and related links, please visit the article HERE.

Category: ALL POSTS, Partner News Stories, Social Media