It's common to hear people complain that things used to be better in the good old days, but in the case of apples, that might actually be true. Scientists in Japan have detected a long-term trend of deteriorating taste and texture in local apples, which they have associated with a rising average temperature in the areas where the fruit is being grown.

Studying the Fuji and Tsugaru cultivars, Japan's two favorite varieties, the researchers observed lower acid concentration, firmness, and resistance to disease relative to the 1970s. The acid is what gives apples their signature sharp taste, so its reduction might actually be preferable for those with a sweet tooth, but the loss of firmness and increased vulnerability to watercore disorder are undeniably detrimental changes.