Do Plants Communicate Through Sound?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the claim that plants communicate through sound, specifically referencing a magazine article that mentions acoustic communication in plants and its potential effects on root growth. Participants express skepticism and seek evidence or studies to support these claims, exploring the mechanisms of plant communication, including biochemical signaling and the influence of sound.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the claim that plants communicate acoustically, questioning the validity of the studies referenced in the magazine article.
  • One participant suggests that the observed sounds may be a byproduct of root growth rather than a means of communication, proposing that friction with soil could generate sounds instead.
  • Another participant emphasizes the plausibility of chemical communication over acoustic communication, noting that auxin diffusion is a known regulatory mechanism in plant growth.
  • Several participants request links to the original studies or evidence supporting the claims made in the magazine article.
  • One participant identifies the magazine as "Idea's & Discoveries" and expresses concern about its credibility, noting it is not listed among acceptable journals.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not agree on the validity of the claim that plants communicate through sound. Multiple competing views are presented, with some advocating for acoustic communication and others favoring biochemical signaling as a more plausible explanation.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the lack of access to the original studies and the credibility of the magazine source, which may limit the discussion's depth and reliance on established scientific literature.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in plant biology, communication mechanisms in organisms, and the intersection of skepticism and scientific inquiry may find this discussion relevant.

g33kski11z
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I came across this in a magazine and I'm skeptical about it. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or a link to the "studies' it references?

Per attachment: "We know that plants utilize biochemical signaling molecules to communicate, especially when a predator is nearby. But biologists have now discovered plants also communicate acoustically. Researchers observed uniform repetitive clicking sounds of about 220 MHz amount cereal plants. Clearly these plants can 'hear' these sounds because the noise influences the growth of their roots. But what these plants 'talk' about is still a mystery."
 

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g33kski11z said:
I came across this in a magazine and I'm skeptical about it. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or a link to the "studies' it references?

Per attachment: "We know that plants utilize biochemical signaling molecules to communicate, especially when a predator is nearby. But biologists have now discovered plants also communicate acoustically. Researchers observed uniform repetitive clicking sounds of about 220 MHz amount cereal plants. Clearly these plants can 'hear' these sounds because the noise influences the growth of their roots. But what these plants 'talk' about is still a mystery."

what magazine?
 
g33kski11z said:
I came across this in a magazine and I'm skeptical about it. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or a link to the "studies' it references?

Per attachment: "We know that plants utilize biochemical signaling molecules to communicate, especially when a predator is nearby. But biologists have now discovered plants also communicate acoustically. Researchers observed uniform repetitive clicking sounds of about 220 MHz amount cereal plants. Clearly these plants can 'hear' these sounds because the noise influences the growth of their roots. But what these plants 'talk' about is still a mystery."
How do they know that the sound influences the growth of their roots?
It "sounds" to me that they may have gotten it backwards. I can believe that the growth process in plants can generate sounds. Maybe when the roots grow, friction with the soil creates a low pitched sound. This sound would be analogous to the Aeolian tone when wind blows against the ground. Then the faster the growth, the louder the sound.
In this hypothesis, the growth of roots causes the sound. However, the sound does not influence the growth of roots.
If it is true the sound influences the growth of roots, then I don't see how. The plants don't have any known sensors that are specialized for listening to sound.
Chemical communication between plants seems a lot more plausible. The growth of plants is regulated by the diffusion of auxin. It appears to me even likely that plants would evolve to release auxin or auxin-like chemicals as a type of communication.
The hypothesis that plants communicate by sound may be wishful thinking on the part of people who talk to plants. It appears more likely a plant would respond to a persons body odor, or to their deodorants, than to sound. Plants have known sensitivities to chemicals. Yet, I have never heard of anyone putting on a certain perfume or deodorant for gardening.
 
The magazine is called "Idea's & Discoveries" .. I've never seen it before.

Thanks for the link, but unfortunately, I don't have a membership there.. :-/
 
g33kski11z said:
The magazine is called "Idea's & Discoveries" .. I've never seen it before.

Thanks for the link, but unfortunately, I don't have a membership there.. :-/

Well it seems your initial skepticism was on target. That magazine isn't on the list of acceptable journals we use here.

Here's the full list:

http://ip-science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=MASTER
 
Thanks for the info!

(side note)
I was going to post this in the skepticism / debunking sub-forum, but that seems to be gone. What happened to it?
 

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