A recent genetic study published in the journal Cell has revealed that the modern potato originated from an ancient hybridization event approximately nine million years ago. This natural interbreeding occurred between a wild ancestor of the tomato and a tuberless potato-like plant native to South America. The discovery clarifies the evolutionary origins of the potato, one of the world's most important staple crops, and highlights the tomato as a key progenitor in its lineage. Researchers from institutions including the Natural History Museum London, University of British Columbia, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences contributed to the study. Understanding this hybrid origin may provide valuable insights for breeding climate-resilient potato varieties in the future.