Short answers, pulled from the story.
Archaeological evidence places the first cultivation of Capsicum plants in modern-day Peru and Bolivia around 7,500 BC. These berries became one of the oldest crops grown by humans in the Americas.
Christopher Columbus and his crew reached the Caribbean and encountered Capsicum fruits for the first time among Europeans. They named them peppers because their hot spicy taste resembled black pepper known in Europe.
Ideal growing conditions require a sunny position with warm loamy soil that is moist but not waterlogged. Seeds germinate only when temperatures stay close to 25 degrees Celsius.
American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville invented the Scoville heat units scale in 1912. Historically this measured dilution of chili extract added to sugar syrup before tasters could no longer detect heat.
Birds lack specific pain receptors so they can eat the hottest peppers without discomfort. This biological difference allows them to consume capsaicin-rich fruit while mammals experience pain.