A study published last month by researchers at the UW offered a fascinating explanation as to why chiles evolved that wonderful spicy flavor. Apparently it's a defense mechanism against a fungus that develops when insects puncture the skins of the chiles. The microorganisms that create the fungus are sensitive to capsaicin, the chemical that creates the heat, and are more likely to avoid plants that contain it. Birds, which eat the fruit and spread its seeds, don't taste the heat.
It occurred to me that the heat ended up having an additional evolutionary function, one which the article didn't mention. Since humans enjoy this flavor, we've propagated the seeds all over the world, further improving the plant's odds for survival.
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