ScienceFruits and veggies used to look a lot different. Domestication has led to a lot of changes.
Wild carrots were likely cultivated around the 10th century. They were purple or white, very thin, with a very distinct, powerful flavor. Modern carrots are orange, thicker, brighter, and crunchy.
Wild eggplants had spines - today's eggplant connects to its flower. They were a variety of colors, from blue to yellow. Some were round - not the oval you see today. Selective breeding has made the spines disappear from modern eggplants.
Wild corn was dry as a raw potato. Modern corn was first domesticated 8,000 years ago in Mexico. 1,000 times bigger, easier to grow and peel. About half of the changes have occurred since the 15th century when European settlers started cultivating the crop.
This is a watermelon from a 17th-century painting. It shows the swirled interior pattern of the seeds. Modern watermelon has a fleshy red interior and can be seedless.
Wild banana was likely first cultivated 7,000 years ago in Papua New Guinea. The insides were stocky and tough, holding large seeds. Modern bananas are a hybrid of two banana species: Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.