no, really, it's a science project.

"Mom?" said Lucy. "Pumpkins rot, right?"
"Yes, honey."
"What doesn't rot?"
"Do you have any guesses?" (I'm thinking: all those dried fruits you eat endlessly?)
"Well, I think pears don't."
"Pears don't rot?"
"Yeah."
"You think we should test that out?"
"Yeah. We'll get a pear and leave it out, and see if it doesn't rot."
"Okay."

So if you come over to our house and see a rotting pear, that's why.