Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. (more) Today in History—April 10: The Day Bananas Debuted In London Written by Melissa Petruzzello Melissa Petruzzello (she/her) is Assistant Managing Editor and covers plants, algae, fungi, insects, spiders, renewable energy and environmental engineering. She also handles certain topics in Christianity,... Melissa Petruzzello Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 6, 2026 •History On this spring day in 1633, people gathered outside a Holborn shop window in central London to stare at something few of them had ever seen before: a cluster of strange, curved fruits, green but yellowing gently in the English light. These were bananas—and for most Londoners, they were utterly bewildering (and surprisingly phallic). Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Want to learn more about what happened on April...

　　.eb-448-paywall-overlay { position: relative; background: white; border: 2px solid #93c5fd; border-radius: 16px; text-align: center; box-shadow: 0 4px 8px 0px #bfdbfe; width: 100%; overflow: hidden; } .eb-448-paywall-overlay-padding { padding: 40px 48px; } .eb-448-paywall-simple { border: 2px solid #93c5fd; } .eb-448-decorative-left-simple, .eb-448-decorative-right-simple { position: absolute; top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%); } .eb-448-decorative-left-simple { left: 0px; transform: translateY(-50%) scaleX(-1); } .eb-448-paywall-simple .eb-448-decorative-right-simple { right: 0; } .eb-448-paywall-content { position: relative; z-index: 15; } .eb-448-header-section { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 8px; } .eb-448-features { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 32px; font-size: 14px; color: #525252; } .eb-448-features-simple { color: #6b6b6b; } .eb-448-feature-free-trial { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; color: black; } .eb-448-feature-secondary { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; } .eb-448-feature { font-weight: 600; } .eb-448-feature.simple { font-weight: 400; } .eb-448-feature.bold { color: balck; font-weight: 700; } .eb-448-feature.blue { color: #14599d; } .eb-448-divider { color: #cbd5e0; font-weight: 300; } .eb-448-unsubscribe-text { color: #525252; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; } .eb-448-unsubscribe-text-simple { font-weight: 400; color: #6b6b6b; } .eb-448-decorative-left { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; height: 100%; z-index: -1; } .eb-448-decorative-right { position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; height: 100%; } .eb-448-decorative-image { height: 100%; } .eb-448-decorative-mobile { width: 100%; display: none; img { width: 100%; } } @media (max-width: 672px) { .eb-448-features { gap: 8px; font-size: 12px; } .eb-448-unsubscribe-text { font-size: 12px; } .eb-448-decorative-left, .eb-448-decorative-right { display: none; } .eb-448-decorative-mobile { display: flex; } .eb-448-paywall-overlay-padding { padding: 20px 24px; } .eb-448-features-simple { flex-direction: column; } .eb-448-feature-free-trial .eb-448-divider { display: none; } .eb-448-thistle-icon { filter: blur(2px); } }

　　Discover the world with Britannica Subscribe to Continue Reading Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content Unsubscribe Anytime!

　　Explore Subscriptions