When we think of plants, we usually imagine silent beings that simply grow and adapt to their environment.
But what if I told you that some plants can “sing” or make sounds?
It sounds like science fiction, but science has already begun to unravel the mysteries of these sound manifestations in the plant world.
How do plants “sing”?
Plants don't have vocal cords like we do, but that doesn't stop them from making sounds.
Researchers have discovered that they can produce ultrasonic vibrations that, under certain conditions, can be picked up as sounds.
These sounds are generated for different reasons, such as water stress (lack of water), interactions with the environment or even natural internal processes, such as the transport of nutrients.
These sound emissions often occur at frequencies that are beyond the human hearing range, but with the use of specialized equipment, scientists have been able to record and analyze these “plant voices.”
The Science Behind Plant Sounds
A 2019 study by researchers at Tel Aviv University brought to light concrete evidence that plants emit ultrasonic sounds when they are under stress.
In this experiment, plants such as tomato and tobacco plants were analyzed. When they were deprived of water or had their stems cut, they emitted sounds in a range of 20 to 100 kHz.
Although these sounds are inaudible to humans, other living beings can detect them.
It is possible that insects and animals use these signals to understand the state of the plant, as if it were “warning” about its condition.
This discovery opens new doors to understanding how plants interact with the world around them.
Why do plants make sounds?
The reasons why plants emit sounds are still the subject of debate in the scientific community, but some hypotheses have already been put forward:
- Environmental stress: Sounds can be a reflection of stress, such as lack of water, excessive heat, or physical injury.
- Communication: Some theories suggest that these sounds could be a form of communication with other plants or even animals.
- Defense: In dangerous situations, such as an attack by herbivores, plants can emit sounds that alert other nearby plants or attract natural predators of herbivores.
“Musical” plants: do they respond to sounds?
In addition to making sounds, some plants appear to “respond” to music and sound vibrations.
Experiments have shown that plants exposed to certain sound frequencies can show faster growth or greater resistance to pests.
This suggests that they have a special sensitivity to sound stimuli, which connects them even more to the environment around them.
The future of plant sound research
Discoveries about “singing” plants are just beginning.
With the advancement of technology, new instruments allow scientists to explore this sound dimension of the plant world.
Understanding how and why plants make sounds could revolutionize areas such as agriculture, helping to identify signs of stress in crops before bigger problems occur.
Furthermore, this line of research leads us to question how we perceive the plant kingdom.
Plants are not just passive beings; they interact with their environment in surprising ways, showing that nature still holds many secrets to be revealed.