Rice, a simple grain, yet a mighty force on our dinner plates and in our global food systems. Have you ever pondered over the ubiquitous nature of this tiny seed? If all the rice consumed annually were weighed against every person on Earth, the scale would dramatically tilt towards rice. This staple crop provides over 20% of the world's caloric intake, and its presence spans across dishes like Korean bibimbap, Nigerian jollof, Indian biryani, and Spanish paella. But how did rice, once a wild grass, become a cornerstone in cuisines worldwide?