[SunkenCiv]

Jan Carl, from the comments section:

> Maize originates from the selection of teosinte varieties by Central American farmers centuries ago. The maize plant as we know it today has undergone further selection since the time it was “discovered” by the Spaniards who colonized Central America. It is highly unlikely that the grains found by Indonesians archaeologists in Java were maize (unless its origin was very recent), and it is also unlikely that the material found (whatever it is) was “fossilized”.

[jjotto]

The word ‘maize’ might be a translation error, or its use there is not the same as in America. The original may have indicated the more generic ‘corn’?

[Zhang Fei]

It is highly unlikely that the grains found by Indonesians archaeologists in Java were maize (unless its origin was very recent), and it is also unlikely that the material found (whatever it is) was “fossilized”.

Maybe they found a fossilized Iphone among the maize.

[ThanhPhero]

Teosinte is hypothesized because it is the closest plant to corn genetically. There is no actual connection demonstrated, no intermediate plants.

[stormer]

Although technically “fossilized” merely refers to something dug up in a state of preservation, the reference to maize does seem odd.