But would be amazed to know that it was originally not considered as a snack and was accidentally discovered . The tribal American Indian folklore suggests that centuries ago these people considered that the spirits lived inside each of these popcorn kernels. They thought that with heating these spirits would shake and shake more and when the heat became unbearable these spirits came out in the air with a puff. Well thank god that they even believed that and hence world knew what the popcorn was.

States of Nebraska, Indiana and Iowa grow corn the maximum. The popularity of popcorn led to its consumption being huge and hence farmers have earned a lot via corn and they call it as the "the prairie gold" .

Two Harvard researchers found ears of popcorn in a Bat cave in 1948 and these ears were said to be about 4000 years old. Somewhere in Utah a 1000 year old popped kernel of popcorn was found in a dry cave which was once a dwelling for the Pueblo Indians.

Coming to the more recent history the whole popcorn industry got a boost when the Charles Cretors invented the popcorn popping machine in 1885. The machines you see in front of the stores and at movies are made by the Cretors family. He got a peddlers license so as to demonstrate to public how easily the popcorn can be made and also to test his machines.

Cloid H. Smith was the first one to build a company around selling of corns which will pop. He made bold statements like guaranteed to pop on his tins so as to lure customers. When the movie theaters opened up the popcorn business definitely got a big boost. Then came television which first sent the sales into a slump but with microwave and easy non messy way to make popcorn helped boost the sales again.

This snack was the easy to buy stuff for a lot of people in the Great Depression. In fact there are stories that some people who lost their other businesses made money via the popcorn selling business. This business was the only business that thrived in the Depression era.

Hopefully popcorns will remain the way they are and the public will love it as it is. Companies have introduced great varieties of popcorn including special gourmet popcorn. These enhancements for sure are keeping the taste buds alive for popcorn.