Buzz
At first glance, plants may seem like an unremarkable part of daily life. From the grass beneath your feet to the grand trees that stretch to the sky, they blanket the Earth in lush greenery, often going unnoticed despite being all around us.
It may appear as though their only purpose is to grow and brighten our homes with their beauty. But beneath the surface, plants harbor a secret world filled with remarkable capabilities that were once overlooked.
10. They Contribute to a Longer Life
The positive effects of owning pets are widely recognized. But who would've guessed that plants could offer similar benefits?
A study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital discovered that simply having plants in the home could reduce the death rate by 12%. Over 100,000 women in the US participated in the study. Those surrounded by more greenery—like grass, trees, and shrubs—had lower risks of depression, kidney disease, respiratory issues, and cancer.
This unexpected trend could be attributed to having more space for socializing or physical activity, reduced air pollution, and enhanced mental well-being. Or perhaps it's simply the calming influence of nature itself.
Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, remarked, 'It is important to know that trees and plants provide health benefits to our communities, in addition to their aesthetic value. The reduced mortality findings suggest that vegetation may play a key role in promoting health in numerous ways.'
It turns out that the secret to longevity isn’t a magical potion or mythical fountain, but rather the humble, green presence of your favorite houseplant, like a cheerful potted fern.
9. They Contribute to Pollution
The term 'alien invader' often conjures up images of a small green extraterrestrial armed with lasers, aiming for world domination. However, many are unaware that it can also refer to an aggressive, persistent, and rapid-growing plant that’s wreaking havoc in the South.
Kudzu, like peanuts, belongs to the legume family. Unlike peanuts, it’s one of the most invasive species worldwide, growing an astonishing 1 meter (3 feet) every three days. First introduced to the US in 1876, it now spreads across 50,000 hectares annually, overtaking landscapes and engulfing homes, trees, utility poles, and fragile forests.
The devastation it causes to ecosystems is already alarming, but kudzu is also contributing to the rising levels of greenhouse gases. The soil is rich in carbon, which naturally accumulates as organisms, matter, and waste decay. Over time, greenhouse gases are released as soil microbes break down this matter.
Rather than aiding the environment, kudzu accelerates the decomposition process, increasing the carbon released from the soil. Its leaves and stems are more easily broken down by microbes. In the forests it overtakes, kudzu accelerates microbial activity, causing the release of up to 4.8 tons of carbon per year. This is particularly concerning because plants are typically viewed as nature's defenders, working to cleanse the air.
8. They Can 'Hear'
Being eaten alive is perhaps one of the most horrifying ways to meet your end. Fortunately, plants lack the awareness to recognize that they are being washed, chopped, and prepared for a salad. Or do they?
Researchers at the University of Missouri–Columbia discovered that plants actually mount defenses when they detect the snacking sounds of caterpillars. In the study, caterpillars were placed on a cabbage-like plant. After the caterpillars were removed, the vibrations of their chewing were recorded and replayed.
In an astonishing discovery, it was revealed that plants produced mustard oil in response to what they perceived as an attack, a chemical intended to fend off predators. The plants were even able to differentiate between vibrations caused by danger and those made by wind or insect mating calls. It's believed that the sound waves make the leaves vibrate, and sensitive proteins within the leaves allow the plants to interpret these vibrations as noise.
Heidi Appel, a research scientist involved in the study, explained, 'Our research is the first example of how plants react to ecologically significant vibrations. We found that vibrations caused by feeding trigger changes in the plant cells' metabolism, leading to the production of defensive chemicals that can repel caterpillar attacks.'
Perhaps sound could become a substitute for pesticides, emerging as the next weapon against pests.
7. They Water Themselves
What’s more bizarre than a plant that pollutes and one that can hear? A plant that waters itself without the need for hands.
The desert rhubarb plant possesses this remarkable ability, a feature that would make any gardener ecstatic. It even collects 16 times more water than other surrounding plants.
Like other desert plants, this species has evolved to endure the harsh, blazing temperatures, and it does so in an ingenious way. Each of its one to four leaves can grow up to 71 centimeters (28 inches). The wax-coated ridges on the leaves' surfaces function like mountains, directing water toward the plant's single central root.
This mechanism allows the plant to gather as much water as those in the Mediterranean, while also saturating the soil beneath it to a depth of at least 10 centimeters (4 inches). Maybe plants are more clever than we give them credit for.
6. They Transform Into Beating Hearts
We’ve made significant strides in the medical field. The rise of civilization ushered in a wave of scientific breakthroughs, each new discovery lighting the way for even greater achievements. Interestingly, some of this progress is built on spinach!
Scientists have managed to transform a spinach leaf into human heart tissue, capable of pumping liquid through its plant veins. This breakthrough solves a major challenge faced by labs when trying to create vascular systems with tiny, fragile blood vessels. These capillaries, no thicker than a hair, are crucial because without them, cells in your organs wouldn’t receive the oxygenated blood they need.
Fortunately, spinach is packed with a network of veins that circulate nutrients throughout its tissue. The plant cells are extracted from the leaf, leaving behind a translucent framework of cellulose, which is then immersed in living human cells. Over time, human tissue grows around the frame, merging with the tiny veins and transforming the spinach into a pulsating miniature heart.
In the future, this innovation may offer hope for patients suffering from heart tissue damage due to cardiac arrest or other ailments.
5. They Eat Each Other
While plants are often regarded as symbols of vegetarianism and veganism, they are far from being passive. Species like Venus flytraps and pitcher plants are predators in the insect world, luring in and consuming their unsuspecting prey. In certain instances, however, they even turn on each other.
Bladderworts thrive in rivers, lakes, and marshy soil. Similar to Venus flytraps, these peculiar plants feature their own traps: Beneath the water, their leaves conceal hundreds of tiny, hollow sacs. The pressure inside these sacs is lower than the pressure outside. When a worm or larvae brushes against a trigger hair, a hidden door snaps open, drawing water in and carrying the prey to its end.
Among the insects and nematodes that bladderworts typically consume, biologists have stumbled upon an intriguing discovery: algae inside the bladderworts' stomachs. Were the algae accidentally ingested, or were they part of the plant’s regular diet?
Marianne Peroutka and her team at the University of Vienna found that algae constituted around 80 percent of the traps’ contents under specific conditions. This percentage was even higher in bladderworts living in soft water, where ions and minerals are scarce.
In these softer environments, fewer animals inhabit the area, leading to fewer potential prey. The bladderworts may compensate for this scarcity by digesting algae, offering us a fascinating glimpse into the omnivorous habits of these plants.
4. They Cry For Help
While they can't speak, plants communicate using chemicals. For instance, when they’re attacked by bacteria, they send signals to their roots asking for assistance. In response, the roots release an acid that summons helpful bacteria to their defense.
Harsh Bais and his team at the University of Delaware conducted an experiment where they infected the leaves of thale cress with a pathogen. However, the plants whose roots were treated with the microbe Bacillus subtilis emerged unscathed.
The research uncovered a long-distance signal between the leaves and the roots. The leaves sent out a distress call, prompting the roots to release malic acid, which attracted Bacillus and enhanced the plant’s defense mechanisms.
This study showed that, contrary to being helpless targets, many plants actually possess an effective defense system. 'Plants are a lot smarter than we give them credit for,' said Bais.
3. Plant Telephones
Ecologist Roxina Soler and her team uncovered that plants serve as tiny communication hubs—not for humans, but for the insects that reside both above and below the ground. This likely leads to some intriguing exchanges.
When insects burrow into the soil to nibble on a plant’s roots, they send a chemical signal up the plant to inform the insects aboveground that the plant is occupied. This prevents a clash for the same food source.
It appears that, through natural selection, underground and aboveground insects evolved this clever system to communicate. These ‘phone lines’ also aid parasitic wasps in finding suitable places to deposit their eggs, with the leaves secreting chemicals to signal whether the roots are occupied.
While it’s unclear how widespread this system is, the fact that insects can use plants as biological communication lines remains a fascinating discovery.
2. They ‘Recognize’ Their Siblings
Researchers in Canada discovered that when sea rockets are grown with their siblings, they behave more cooperatively by keeping their roots compact and close together. Their leaves intertwine. However, when planted with unrelated plants, sea rockets compete fiercely for nutrients, extending their roots and growing stiff to avoid touching the other plant’s leaves.
Harsh Bais, a researcher, conducted experiments using thale cress to explore how plants identify their siblings versus strangers. Seedlings were exposed to root secretions from their own kind, family members, or unrelated plants. The length of their lateral roots was then measured, revealing that plants exposed to strangers developed longer roots.
This research could be valuable for gardeners. Bais pointed out, “Often, when plants don’t thrive after being placed together in the garden, we blame the garden center where we bought them or assume a pathogen is responsible. But there might be more to the story.”
1. They Learn From Experience
As previously revealed, plants are far from brainless. In fact, emerging research suggests that they may possess a form of intelligence.
Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, explained, “They have analogous structures... ways of taking all the sensory data they gather in their everyday lives... integrate it and then behave in an appropriate way in response. And they do this without brains, which, in a way, is what’s incredible about it.”
Similar to humans, plants can “hear” the crunch of a caterpillar and “call” on microbes for help to fight off pests. Pollan also suggests that they can sense water and gravity, much like humans, and adjust their root growth direction when they encounter obstacles like rocks in the soil.
But do they experience pain?
Pollan notes, “You can put a plant out with a human anesthetic.” While this may sound extraordinary, it doesn’t prove that plants experience pain. Though they lack nerve cells, plants are capable of sending electrical signals and releasing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are typically associated with the human brain.
This opens the door to another surprising possibility: Plants can actually learn and retain information. Biologist Monica Gagliano conducted an experiment where mimosa plants were dropped from a height without being harmed. Initially, the plants’ leaves would fold in response, but after several drops, they ceased reacting, seemingly “learning” that the experience posed no threat and remembering this for up to a month.
Pollan adds, “The line between plants and animals might be a little softer than we traditionally think of it as.”
