A Grammy award-winning hip-hop group, a food source high in fiber and potassium and a staple on "soul food" menus are all things black-eyed peas are. Yet peas they are not. They are actually more along the lines of a bean. Both beans and peas are legumes and have edible seeds and pods.

Their prominence in Southern cuisine can be traced back to the Civil War. Originally used as food for livestock, they became a mainstay of the slaves’ diet. They were thus ignored by Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s troops. Largely left behind in the fields, black-eyed peas cemented themselves on Confederate tables.

This mystery is just one of many explained as part of the Science, Technology and Business Division presentation of "Everyday Mysteries."

This same division also produces Science Tracer Bullets, a series of research guides that help you locate information on science and technology subjects with brief introductions to the topics, lists of resources and strategies for finding more. Many of the resources listed in these guides can be found in your local library. With subjects like "Food History" and "Edible Wild Plants," the Tracer Bullets can save many hours of research time on a variety of scientific topics.