Posted on 04/04/2023 1:06:31 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Plant owners know just how difficult it can be to figure out what they need, especially when leaves start browning or wilting. But it turns out that plants may have been telling you all along. A new study found that when plants are stressed, they emit specific sounds that identify what's wrong.
Previous studies had shown that plants vibrate when under stress, but for years, scientists have debated whether those vibrations become sound waves. By studying tomato and tobacco plants in an acoustic chamber inside a greenhouse, researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered that it's true – plants cry out for help through airborne ultrasonic sounds.
"We found that plants usually emit sounds when they are under stress and that each plant and each type of stress is associated with a specific identifiable sound," researchers said in a news release from the university. "While imperceptible to the human ear, the sounds emitted by plants can probably be heard by various animals, such as bats, mice, and insects."
Human adults can only hear frequencies up to 16 kilohertz, researchers said, but ultrasonic microphones placed about 10 centimeters from each plant used in the study detected sounds at frequencies between 20 and 250 kilohertz. Those recordings were analyzed by special AI algorithms that could differentiate between plants and the types of sounds they were emitting.
And the more stressed plants were, the more they screamed.
"Unstressed plants emitted less than one sound per hour, on average," researcher Lilach Hadany said, "while the stressed plants – both dehydrated and injured – emitted dozens of sounds every hour."
They also found that after a certain peak of dehydration, the sounds would simply stop. Their findings were published in the journal Cell on Thursday.
"Our findings suggest that the world around us is full of plant sounds, and that these sounds contain information – for example about water scarcity or injury," Hadany said. "We assume that in nature the sounds emitted by plants are detected by creatures nearby, such as bats, rodents, various insects, and possibly also other plants - that can hear the high frequencies and derive relevant information."
But it's not just small animals and insects that can use this information, but humans too, Hadany said. All they need is the "right tools – such as sensors that tell growers when plants need watering."
This could prove particularly beneficial in the agriculture industry, as researchers noted in their publication that "more precise irrigation can save up to 50% of the water expenditure and increase the yield." This ability could only get more important as climate change continues to increase the intensity and frequency of droughts and the world continues to grapple with food security issues.
"Apparently, an idyllic field of flowers can be a rather noisy place," Hadany said. "It's just that we can't hear the sounds."
How long before we have people claim that people with plants that don’t care to listen and respond to these cries, are evil?
https://youtu.be/XzugQBkUrZk&t=45
The Ents go to war
What was it based on? Not this most recent study.
Why? Who are they calling to for help exactly? Other plants are in no position to help out. Animals other than humans don't care and couldn't help anyway.
Academic stupid had reach and surpassed critical sustainability.
Hmmm. I guess I was mistaken. I thought they yelled, “TIM-BER”! I could have sworn that when that tree began to topple over I heard a voice yell, “TIM-BER”! Oh well. Wrong again. What else is new?
“Apparently, an idyllic field of flowers can be a rather noisy place,”
Idyllic for whom?
Do plants also sing when they’re doing well?
Apparently, according to Cleve Backster, his lab work was subject to the scientific method. But, according to Cleave, he had the technology early (1960’s) but like early technology, mostly mocked.
Knew Cleve for many years before he passed. Interesting guy, not at all a ‘psychic Cloe’ kind of guy.
A repeat of old OLD news from 55 years ago. Remember when plants were found to have emotions back then? If you wired them, the pulled one up and tore it to pieces the other plants would register hysteria like feelings.
Others trace it farther back to the late 1800s.
Many sat it was just a joke to see how many fools were out there to believe it.
I like the way lettuce crunches when I eat it.
Oh, so like bugs don’t have feelings?
Reportedly, some plants, when alerted by others under attack or stressed, can use the time to spike the amount of natural pest resistance or “insecticide” in their systems, etc.
Another study found the same thing about plants emitting noises when under stress.
This one mentions animals hearing it, my clipping didn’t have that in it (that I remember).
It is amazing how many new stories and new studies about all types of things have been around for decades.
That doesn’t mean anything to the researchers looking for more information and conducting further studies, or conducting variations of previous research but it is amusing to see the public being reintroduced to the same basic stories 20, 30, 40, and more decades later.
Yeah, “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music.”
Timber is the yell to warn people in the area. Kind of like ‘fore’ in golf though I never got that one.
The plants are craving electrolytes.
You’re mistaken, trees can’t talk. But they will dialog. ;-)
I read the book, Secret Life Of Plants years ago and found it interesting and believeable.
Here's a video about the authors work:
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