The idea that plants have feelings and can respond to stimuli has been the subject of scientific research for many years. Laboratory studies have yielded interesting results that suggest that plants may be capable of some degree of emotional response. They are able to respond to external stimuli in a manner similar to that observed in animals.
Plant speech
There is evidence to suggest that some species can communicate with each other using chemical signals emitted into the air or soil around them. This was called “plant speech” by scientists who carefully studied these phenomena.
Positive and negative words
In one experiment, scientists studied the reactions of different plant species to positive and negative words spoken in their vicinity. The results showed that under the influence of positive words such as “love” or “happy”, plants grew faster than those that were exposed only to neutral language or not at all. Conversely, when the same species was exposed only to negative terms such as “hatred” or “sad,” its growth rate slowed significantly compared to other samples that were not subjected to any verbal stimulus.
This finding suggests that plants are able to respond emotionally – or at least physiologically – to human speech patterns and emotions expressed by people around them at some level. This may mean that they have elementary emotionality.
Impact of sounds
A study conducted by Monika Gagliano from the University of Western Australia found that mimosa pudica (sensitive plant) exposed to sound vibrations reacted by closing the leaves, as if they were surprised or frightened. This suggests that plants may have the form of a basic emotion-like response system that helps them respond appropriately and protectively to environmental changes.
Reaction of plants to music
Plants have the ability to react to their surroundings in different ways. A recent study found that plants not only sense sound and touch, but may also be able to appreciate music. This discovery leads scientists on an exciting path of exploration as they try to learn more about how plants interact with the world around them.
The concept of how plants respond to music was first proposed by Dorothy Retallack in 1973, when she conducted experiments showing positive growth responses with different types of music played near her experimental facilities. Since then, numerous studies have been conducted to investigate this phenomenon in more detail, and many results suggest that certain types or frequencies of sounds can lead to an increased release of growth hormones in the plant system, resulting in improved overall health and vitality.
This evidence has prompted scientists around the world to further research on the topic. By testing different combinations of sounds on different species, they observe how this affects the development of plants and their resistance to diseases.