Humans, with all our complexity, have somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 genes. Impressive, right? However, the tomato, a nightshade family member, boasts a staggering 31,760 genes.
One emerging theory ties the tomato’s genetic complexity to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Around the time these giant creatures disappeared from Earth, the nightshade family, or Solanaceae, tripled its number of genes.
Some scientists believe the extra DNA helped tomatoes survive during a perilous time on the planet when it was likely still recovering from the aftereffects of a devastating asteroid.