Plants can hear themselves being eaten
Plants can "hear" and react to the sounds of insects eating them, deploying targeted chemical defenses and even calling for backup, revealing a surprising awareness of their environment.
Plants possess a surprising ability to "hear" when caterpillars munch on their leaves. They detect these specific chewing vibrations and, in response, unleash a chemical defense. Researchers found plants ignored other sounds like wind, only reacting to the precise frequency of eating. This triggers the production of bad-tasting mustard oils and other deterrents for insects.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
2 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz