Watermelons seek sweet revenge

Chinese watermelons have proven the truth of the old saying: you can't fool mother nature.

According to this MSNBC news article, farmers in Eastern China were inspired to treat their watermelon crops with growth accelerator called forchlorfenuron in order to increase their yield and their profit. Their timing was off, though. The chemical was applied too late in the season, and the watermelons exploded. As a result, there are acres of exploded watermelons in and around the Jiangsu province.

Apparently most watermelons sold in Shanghai markets are treated with the substance. Its use is also permitted in the U.S. for those growing kiwi and grapes. If you happen to be shopping for watermelons in Shanghai and wonder if your melons have been treated with forchlorfenuon, be on the lookout for "fibrous, misshapen fruit with mostly white instead of black seeds".