Everyone has a theory on why bananas are bendy. What's yours?

"So monkeys can hang on to them!" she cries.

"Because they want to see the other side of the world!" says one farmer.

It's the question that's bugged philosphers all over the world - why are bananas bent?

Finally, an answer.

According to the Australian Banana Growers Council bananas are a very special fruit because of their unique bend.

CEO Tony Heidrich says bananas have negative geo-tropic capabilities, which means they grow away from the pull of gravity.

He's seen bananas that have grown into complete circles!

Here's the full explanation of why bananas are bent from the Banana Growers Council:

Bananas start life very, very straight but as the bunch emerges from the top of the plant and the bracts roll back (bracts are the leathery purple things that separate the hands of bananas) and fall off, the bananas begin to spread out and turn upward.

They do this because bananas are negatively geo-tropic. This means that they grow away from the pull of gravity, as opposed to turning upward toward the sun.

Because the Cavendish bunch is quite large and hangs almost straight down, the bananas generally have an even bend in them all the way round the bunch.

However Ladyfinger bunches sit almost at right angles to the plant and the bananas on the top side of the bunch grow straight upward while the bananas on the bottom side twist right around. Though there is no difference in the fruit the twisted bananas from the bottom side of the bunch generally don't make it to market, which is one reason that Ladyfinger bananas are more expensive because not all the bunch can be marketed.

So there you have it!