Maize

[Minimalist]

I don't know.


It's a long way from Teosinte to Maize!



You not only have to factor in the obvious changes from one to the other but do it against a back drop of an average life expectancy of 25-28 years and understand that these were subsistence farmers who had to eat while they were doing it.  Scientists have pretty much ruled out a natural process.  But it is mind boggling to think of these people following a multi-generational project while trying to survive at the same time.

And, no.  There was no fucking god involved.  I doubt the religitards would credit Viracocha anyway.

First off, the father could pass down information to the son.  Second, selective breeding is not a natural process.

Yeah.... provided he didn't die when the kid was 3. 

But selective breeding requires an amazing adherence to a plan.  Certainly not natural. 

Don't forget here that the early versions of corn had very small ears (about an inch long). They were not very similar to what we think of as corn today.

And why wouldn't people from 9,000 years ago be able to do this? In Mesopotamia, they were domesticating wheat and other grains about the same time. They were even starting to build cities.

Agreed, it is an intermediary step but the foresight to envision one to the other is astounding.

Wild wheat was growing in Turkey.  There wasn't a lot of bio-engineering required to get an immediate reward.