If you've spent any time cooking, the Maillard Reaction has almost certainly been your best friend more than a few times. And popcorn? Well, popcorn is just delightful. Duh.
Research Links:
The Maillard Reaction
Reactions (YouTube) — Why the Maillard Reaction Makes Everything Delicious
FDFchannel — The Maillard Reaction
Khymos — Speeding Up the Maillard Reaction
Popcorn
Wikipedia — Popcorn
Scientific American — Explore the “POP” in Popcorn
National Geographic — Ancient Popcorn Found—Made 2,000 Years Earlier Than Thought in Peru