The fruit with a peel
March 20, 2005 11:13 PM   Subscribe

The Secret of Bananas - Caught on tape!
posted by Robot Johnny (31 comments total)
 
...best of the web eh...
posted by AMWKE at 11:24 PM on March 20, 2005


Thank you for that. I've been needing a laugh all day.
posted by zardoz at 11:33 PM on March 20, 2005


The world is indeed a richer and more complicated tapestry than ere I knew.

He mentioned the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo. I'd heard about that one a while ago (from, I think, another metafilter thread).

Another thing I learned was that usually when you hear someone over the intercom in a store say "paging Mr. Cash, Mr. Cash to aisle 15", that is security being called to investigate a suspected shoplifter in aisle 15. "Mr. Cash" is the code word. Whoa.
posted by Hildago at 11:38 PM on March 20, 2005


Are you telling me that most people don't already know this? Don't/Didn't you people ever play with your food? Sheesh. And here I though I was surrounded by a bunch of enlightened folks...
posted by pmbuko at 11:43 PM on March 20, 2005


The other secret of bananas (well, of monkeys really) is that they open the banana from the blunt end and remove the seet first, then use the stalk as a handle so as not to bruise the fruit.

But really, shouldn't this kind of splitting be common to any soft, radially symmetrical fruit?

Also, for the record, I think that these naysayers who only comment "Is this the best of the web?" like some kind of self-hypnotizing mantra should look at the site first, naysay later. Maybe Robot Johnny didn't want to link to the whole site, instead opting for a single standout on the site as a way to whet our appetites (so to speak) for the whole burrito. So chew on that. Tomatos
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 11:48 PM on March 20, 2005


Insightful video, I never knew about this. I am going to try it next time I eat a banana. I know I always noticed the outer skin of the banana peels off evenly, but I always thought the inside was a tubular, one-piece structure.
posted by Sonic_Molson at 12:00 AM on March 21, 2005


Holy snap! Making those chocolate-peanut-butter-banana campfire treats just got easier!
posted by Anonymous at 12:05 AM on March 21, 2005


My mind = blown.
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:25 AM on March 21, 2005


But really, shouldn't this kind of splitting be common to any soft, radially symmetrical fruit?

Most fruits have five-way symmetry — e.g. the pentagonal pattern of seeds in an apple. So what surprised me was seeing three sections.

(Actually, they taught us in bio class that all fruits have five-way symmetry. Goes to show you can't trust everything you learn in school.)
posted by nebulawindphone at 12:41 AM on March 21, 2005


*sits down, waits for debate on whether banana is a fruit, herb or something else*
posted by bdave at 4:13 AM on March 21, 2005


Pretty cool. I never knew this. Thanks for the link, Robot Johnny.

Is it me, or do the vast majority of the people who only reply to gripe about things not being the "best of the web" have numbers over 20,000? Granted, I'm a $5 Johnny-Come-Lately myself, but shouldn't some measure of seniority be earned before the unconstructive bitching begins? I'd take it to MeTa if I thought it would do any good.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:43 AM on March 21, 2005


Most fruits have five-way symmetry — e.g. the pentagonal pattern of seeds in an apple. So what surprised me was seeing three sections.

Ah, you see, that's because bananas are not most closely related to apples or strawberries, in fact their most closest relative is actually cinnamon. Or vanilla. Or was it the blue whale? Anyhow, it definitely was something completely counter-intuitive.
posted by sour cream at 5:53 AM on March 21, 2005


Anyhow, it definitely was something completely counter-intuitive.

Roses, I seem to recall hearing. Of course, I could also be completely wrong.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:57 AM on March 21, 2005


Or was it the blue whale?

The Secret of Blue Whales - caught on tape!
posted by Ptrin at 6:01 AM on March 21, 2005


THIS is why I love the internet. You made my day.
posted by quietfish at 6:09 AM on March 21, 2005


It's more entertaining to make the split with your tongue.

Well, it is, if you're eight years old.
posted by IndigoJones at 6:20 AM on March 21, 2005


Back in college I remember playing this game with other guys at the dining hall... When a woman at the table was about to eat a banana, you'd tell her that it was possible to separate the banana into three perfect wedges but it was important to hald the banana vertical and use your tongue or it wouldn't work. 90% of the time they'd try it (and succeed) without thinking and the guys at the table would get a nice rise at lunchtime. Heh... College.

On preview... Indigo Jones just beat me to it.
posted by evoo at 6:26 AM on March 21, 2005


xactly IndigoJones. It's also the reason I don't eat bananas in public anymore...
posted by dabitch at 6:28 AM on March 21, 2005


I actually misread the site name as "thesnooze"
posted by blendor at 6:52 AM on March 21, 2005


Most fruits have five-way symmetry — e.g. the pentagonal pattern of seeds in an apple. So what surprised me was seeing three sections.

Fruits can have any symmetry, it depends on the way the ovaries are situated.

that's right, i said ovaries
posted by recurve at 7:17 AM on March 21, 2005


Now you know the secret. So now we have to kill you.
posted by fungible at 7:32 AM on March 21, 2005


Ptrin, that's hilarious (the link title, that is--I didn't follow the link).
posted by kenko at 8:14 AM on March 21, 2005


Can we just talk about bananas for a second?

Spider mites infest them and then populate your innards.

That is all.
posted by mic stand at 8:32 AM on March 21, 2005




Fruits can have any symmetry, it depends on the way the ovaries are situated.

No, fruits can only have fibonnacian symmetry. Why, you ask? Er.. uh.. because of phi!
posted by Plutor at 8:55 AM on March 21, 2005


I can't believe I never noticed the arrow in the FedEx logo before. Wow.
posted by debralee at 9:11 AM on March 21, 2005


So is this where the "split” in banana split comes from?

Speaking of: Spider mites infest them and then populate your innards.
Are you blind? Your comment splits your knowledge, why I asked about your eyes.

"Mites suck out the cell contents causing cell breakdown. Damage is mainly confined to the underside of lower older leaves; however, in severe outbreaks the mites can move onto the bunches and damage fruit."

Fruit damage by banana spider mite is found mainly on the cushion end of the fingers close to the bunch stalk. Feeding in this area causes a dull red to purple-black discolouration of the fruit surface that may later dry out and crack .

Don’t see them being in the fruit.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:41 AM on March 21, 2005


please add ending quotes after crack
posted by thomcatspike at 9:42 AM on March 21, 2005


The other secret of bananas (well, of monkeys really) is that they open the banana from the blunt end and remove the seet first, then use the stalk as a handle so as not to bruise the fruit.

So as not to bruise the fruit. That's funny. Those clever little monkeys.
posted by gummo at 10:25 AM on March 21, 2005


Be sure to ingest the delight that is "Don't eat it, Steve!", also courtesy of thesneeze.com.
posted by Herr Fahrstuhl at 3:25 PM on March 21, 2005


My mind = blown

just wait till you mow the lawn!
posted by quonsar at 5:43 AM on March 22, 2005


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