Ricky White, age 10, of Placida, Florida, for his question:

How was popcorn discovered?

Until Columbus arrived, the American Indians had all the corn in the world to themselves. For this is where corn cereal got its start. Centuries before the ships arrived from Spain, the people of Central and South America were growing corn with crowded ears of yellow and white kernels, red kernels and ears of patchy calico colors. They also cultivated a special strain with small hard ears to make popcorn.

About half the world's vegetables got their start in South and Central America. This is where the early explorers found the popcorn plant    and also the people who taught them how to make it pop. This special strain of ordinary corn has smallish ears with hard pointed kernels. When heated, the insides of the kernels puff up and burst their skins. Half a cup of the dry kernels becomes a quart of popcorn. And popcorn has the same tasty goodness as ordinary corn.