Botanical geneticists sequencing the genome of the domesticated tomato discovered that it possesses over thirty-one thousand genes, which is roughly ten thousand more than a human being.

A closer look

Botanical geneticists sequencing the genome of the domesticated tomato discovered that it possesses over thirty-one thousand genes, which is roughly ten thousand more than a human being. The sheer complexity of a tomato's genetic makeup is required to help it fend off various plant diseases, survive droughts, and produce that distinctly acidic flavor profile. This means that from a purely genetic standpoint, the squishy red fruit sitting on your sandwich is biologically more complicated than you are. We build skyscrapers, write symphonies, and launch rockets into the cosmos, but our genetic code is tragically outmatched by a salad ingredient that gets instantly ruined if you put it in the refrigerator. It is the ultimate insult to human exceptionalism, proving that evolution values the survival of a fragile vine fruit significantly more than the existence of the supposedly dominant species on Earth