Q: Why are bananas curved?

A: Thank you for the light-hearted questions. I enjoyed the research, and now I know a bit about bananas. Here is what I discovered in my research.

Bananas are curved due to a phototropic chemical in their makeup called Auxin, which is an important part of the way plant organs are shaped. In particular, the banana fruit grows upward and inward due to Auxin's attraction to the sun, causing its familiar curved shape.

The shape of a banana can be influenced by artificial light sources as well as the addition of ethylene gas (which is also associated with the ripening process in bananas and other fruits) as Auxin is linked to ethylene synthesis. Part of the uniqueness of bananas rests in their "negative geotropism." They start out growing towards the ground as gravity would dictate but then, as the fruits mature and receive more light, start growing upwards due to their chemical makeup.

I also learned that bananas are both a fruit and an herb. Very interesting. A banana is undoubtedly a fruit (containing the seeds of the plant), though since commercially grown banana plants are sterile, the seeds are reduced to little specks. However, the banana plant, though it is called a 'banana-tree' in popular usage, is technically regarded as a herbaceous plant (or 'herb'), not a tree, because the stem does not contain true woody tissue. Perplexing!

Please keep the questions coming, even the fun ones!