• Popcorn’s scientific name is zea mays everta, and it is the only type of corn that will pop.
• What makes popcorn pop? Each kernel contains a small amount of moisture. As the kernel is heated, this water turns to steam. Popcorn differs from other grains in that the kernel’s shell is not water-permeable, so the steam cannot escape and pressure builds up until the kernel finally explodes, turning inside out.
• On average, a kernel of popcorn will pop when it reaches a temperature of 347 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
• Unpopped kernels are called “old maids” or “spinsters.” According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s largest popcorn ball measured 12 feet in diameter and required 2,000 pounds of sugar, 280 gallons of corn syrup, and 400 gallons of water to make.

• Most of the popcorn consumed in the
  world is grown in Indiana and Nebraska, but 25 states grow popcorn. The country which is second to the United States in crop production of popcorn is Argentina.