Solving a potato origin mystery with an unlikely hybrid union : Short Wave : NPR

✍️ Berly Mccoy Rebecca Ramirez, Berly Mccoy, Rebecca Ramirez 📅 October 07, 2025 12:00 AM 🕐 Scraped: October 08, 2025

Summary: Usually, when two different species mate, it’s a disaster. At least, that’s what scientists had generally thought about hybrids, the offspring of these unions. But some researchers are starting to change their view as they learn of more beneficial hybrid events. The Atlantic science journalist Katie Wu details two of these hybridization examples: one in desert frogs and one in two ancient plants that led to the modern potato.Interested in more biology episodes? Email us your question at [email protected] to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

How an unlikely union led to the humble potato

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Usually, when two different species mate, it's

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Berly Mccoy Rebecca Ramirez, Berly Mccoy, Rebecca Ramirez

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🌍 NPR

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October 07, 2025 at 12:00 AM

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