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Study Verifies That Plants Cry When Stressed
We just can’t hear their screams.
According to researchers at Tel Aviv University, plants emit airborne sounds that no human being can hear — especially when under stress.
Despite sounding like popped popcorn (at a volume similar to human speech) they operate at a very high frequency, well beyond the scope of human hearing.
This makes them ultrasonic.
Plus, these sounds vary from species to species — and can change in frequency, intensity, and duration, depending on the type of stress and its severity.
According to the research lead, Professor Lilach Hadany, these are sounds that are most likely heard by other animals, such as insects, mice, rats, bats, moths, and many more.
How the Researchers Did It
In this first-of-its-kind study, the team placed plants inside an acoustic box.
They placed these boxes in a very quiet and isolated basement where there was minimal background noise.
These plants included (but were not limited to):
- Cactus
- Corn
- Grape vines
- Tobacco
- Tomatoes
