

Bananas: A Parable for Our Times - mixmax
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/120187/bananas%3A_a_parable_for_our_times/

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eru
"There is no cure. They all die as it spreads, and it spreads quickly. Soon --
in five, 10 or 30 years -- the yellow creamy fruit as we know it will not
exist."

It seems like the author never heard of (natural) selection leading to
resistances against diseases. Or it just would not fit his story.

~~~
brl
The bananas you buy at the supermarket are all genetically identical clones.
This is why they are so vulnerable to the banana plague.

~~~
brl
Interesting, all edible bananas are sterile:

[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/07/0726_wireban...](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/07/0726_wirebanana.html)

~~~
eru
Sex helps in reshuffling the genes so that you can compete against parasites
with a much shorter generation cycle.

Still asexual reproduction introduces at least a few mutations sometimes. Even
if 95% of all bananas die, there will be some bananas left immune to the
disease.

