ripe

"I thought about how shaking an apple tree, whether by hand or with a gust of wind, makes ripe apples detach and fall," said Zargartalebi, a postdoctoral fellow in Kelley's laboratory.

These staples of awards seasons are ripe for a bit of shaking up.

Instead of rushing through the store, I started lingering—yes, lingering!—in the produce section, marveling at the deep purple of a perfectly ripe plum or the scent of fresh dill.

When ripe, the ovoid-shaped fruits detach from the stem and eject the seeds explosively in a high-pressure jet of mucilage.

In the dense warren of stalls, the best-looking produce is displayed prominently: ripe bananas, glistening limes and orderly rows of broccoli and asparagus.