What is popcorn?

<p><strong>#161<br></strong><br>Summer's here, blockbusters are coming out, people will be headed to the movies, and nothing goes better with a movie... than popcorn. At least that's how we feel around here. But what even is popcorn? Are the kernels just like regular corn? How do they pop to become popcorn? What even is the stuff we're eating? Can someone please tell me what's going on?? Let's dig in.</p><p><strong>References from this episode</strong></p><ol> <li><a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/bm049220l">https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/bm049220l</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0733521083800071">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0733521083800071</a></li> <li><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif.2014.1247#d3e573">https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif.2014.1247#d3e573</a></li> <li><a href="https://ag.purdue.edu/news/2020/02/whats-under-the-shell-of-this-popular-snack.html%20">https://ag.purdue.edu/news/2020/02/whats-under-the-shell-of-this-popular-snack.html </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/explore-the-pop-in-popcorn%20">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/explore-the-pop-in-popcorn </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050415112829.htm">https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050415112829.htm</a></li> <li><a href="https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-popcorn">https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-popcorn</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.compoundchem.com/2017/01/19/popcorn/">https://www.compoundchem.com/2017/01/19/popcorn/</a></li> <li><a href="https://royalsociety.org/blog/2015/02/the-science-of-popcorn/">https://royalsociety.org/blog/2015/02/the-science-of-popcorn/</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/adventures-in-chemistry/secret-science-stuff/popcorn.html">https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/adventures-in-chemistry/secret-science-stuff/popcorn.ht