How Potatoes Evolved
Science news We finally solved the mystery of how potatoes evolved By Josh Davis First published 31 July 2025 Crisps and mash owe their existence to a series of precise events that took place nine million years ago. That is the startling finding of a new study that has found that potatoes are the result of an ancient hybridisation event. We’ve got an ancient hybridisation event in the foothills of the Andes to thank for the humble spud. That is the remarkable new finding from a team of research