…or was it discovered by accident? Did someone leave a corn cob on the fire, and get surprised at the result?
The Indians had it. A form of it, anyway.
Probably discovered just the way you suggested. Because that’s the way most things were discovered.
More information than you can shake your JiffyPop foil popcorn cookin’ thingy at:
The Popcorn Board, a nonprofit run by American popcorn producers, claims that popcorn goes back 4,000 years.