Avocado and Giant Ground Sloths: Myth or Fact?

The video explores the myth that avocados were spread by giant ground sloths, a story that lacks scientific evidence. The myth originated from speculative papers in the 1980s and gained popularity through media. The video debunks this myth by highlighting the absence of fossil evidence linking sloths to avocados and suggests that humans played a significant role in avocado domestication. The video concludes by acknowledging the Mesoamericans for cultivating avocados and correcting previous inaccuracies in SciShow's content.

What is the main reason avocados are believed to have been spread by giant ground sloths?

• Their seeds are small and easily digestible.

• Their seeds are large and require large animals to disperse them.

• They grow in cold climates where sloths lived.

• They are toxic to smaller animals.

Where did the idea that sloths spread avocados originate?

• A scientific study in the 1990s.

• A hypothesis about Costa Rican plants in the 1980s.

• A documentary about prehistoric animals.

• A myth from ancient Mesoamerican cultures.

What kind of evidence would be needed to prove sloths ate avocados?

• Paintings depicting sloths eating avocados.

• Fossilized remains of avocados in sloth habitats.

• DNA evidence from modern sloths.

• Historical records from ancient civilizations.

What did the analysis of sloth coprolites reveal about their diet?

• They primarily ate avocados.

• They ate a variety of grasses and shrubs.

• They were strictly carnivorous.

• They only ate yucca and agave plants.

What is a significant flaw in the argument that avocados needed large animals for seed dispersal?

• Avocado pits were originally much smaller.

• Avocados are not nutritious enough for large animals.

• Avocados do not grow in the wild.

• Large animals were not present in avocado-growing regions.

How did humans likely influence the size of avocado pits?

• By using avocados as a form of currency.

• By crossbreeding avocados with other fruits.

• By planting only the smallest seeds.

• By selectively breeding avocados with larger pits.

What cultural belief might have influenced the cultivation of larger avocados?

• Larger avocados were associated with strength.

• Avocados were used in religious ceremonies.

• Avocados were believed to bring wealth.

• Avocados were thought to cure diseases.

What does the variation in avocado pit size suggest about ancient cultivation practices?

• There was no human influence on avocado size.

• Avocados were domesticated in a single location.

• There was a mix of wild and cultivated avocados.

• Avocados were not consumed by ancient people.

What is SciShow's stance on the accuracy of their content?

• They do not correct past inaccuracies.

• They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.

• They aim to spread ideas supported by evidence.

• They rely on myths to engage viewers.

Who should be credited for the development of the avocado as we know it today?

• European explorers.

• Giant ground sloths.

• Ancient Mesoamericans.

• Modern scientists.