Crop scientists have cloned a gene that controls the shape of tomatoes, a discovery that could help unravel the mystery behind the huge morphological differences among edible fruits and vegetables, as well as provide new insight into mechanisms of plant development.

“Don’t ever change” isn’t just a romantic platitude. It’s a solid evolutionary strategy. At least if you’re among the creatures that produce scads of genetically identical offspring – like microbes, plants or water fleas. These creatures provide a chance to wonder about the clones raised in near-identical environments that turn out differently than their kin.