James Dale, a plant scientist at Queensland University of Technology, is on a mission to save bananas from the devastating Panama disease. Alongside Douglas Southgate, an emeritus professor from Ohio State University, they unravel the banana's fascinating journey from luxury to a staple of American diets. The conversation dives into the historical impact of United Fruit in Central America, the promising potential of genetically modified bananas, and innovative gene editing techniques like CRISPR to combat agricultural challenges.