Categoría: Sentience in Plants
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Jagdish Chandra Bose & plant neurobiology
«From general electrical response of different parts of the plant, he proceeded to record responses from individual cells using microelectrode recording system devised by him. In those early years, prior to the 1920s, such microelectrode studies had not yet been initiated on single neurons in animals. On the basis of a large number of studies,…
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Plant Cognition by Monica Gagliano
«Plant cognition is a new and exciting field of research directed at experimentally testing the cognitive abilities of plants, including perception, learning processes, memory and consciousness.The emerging framework holds considerable implications for the way we perceive plants as it redefines the traditionally held boundary between animals and plants.» Read more
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An organism able to learn and move with no brain, no mouth, no stomach, no eyes and 720 sexes
A Paris zoo is showcasing a mysterious creature dubbed the «blob,» a yellowish collection of unicellular organisms called a slime mold that looks like a fungus, but acts like an animal. This newest exhibit of the Paris Zoological Park, which goes on public display on Saturday, has no mouth, no stomach, no eyes, yet can…
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How trees secretly talk to and share with each other
Trees secretly talk to each other underground. They’re passing information and resources to and from each other through a network of mycorrhizal fungi—mykós means fungus and riza means root in Greek—a mat of long, thin filaments that connect an estimated 90% of land plants. Scientists call the fungi the Wood Wide Web because ‘adult’ trees can share sugars to younger…
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Should fish feel pain? A plant perspective by by František Baluška
Plants are not usually thought to be very active behaviorally, but the evidence suggests otherwise. Moreover, in stressful situations, plants produce numerous chemicals that have painkilling and anesthetic properties. Finally, plants, when treated with anesthetics, cannot execute active behaviors such as touch-induced leaf movements or rapid trap closures after localizing animal prey Read more
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Stefano Mancuso on the secret life of plants: how they memorise, communicate, problem solve and socialise
One of the most controversial aspects of Mancuso’s work is the idea of plant consciousness. As we learn more about animal and plant intelligence, not to mention human intelligence, the always-contentious term consciousness has become the subject of ever more heated scientific and philosophical debate. “Let’s use another term,” Mancuso suggests. “Consciousness is a little…
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No binding, no suffering
Plants don’t suffer. Their fictitious misery should not be used to justify the real misery of our nonhuman animal victims. “But how do you know plants don’t suffer?!” says the meat-eater, affecting a touching concern for the well-being vegetables. “Science proves plants feel pain!” But no. Suppose that consciousness is fundamental in Nature, or at…
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Plants live in a tactile world, perceive light, have a sense of smell, taste, and respond to sound
Are plants sentient? We know they sense their environments to a significant degree; like animals, they can «see» light, as a New Scientist feature explains. They “live in a very tactile world,” have a sense of smell, respond to sound, and use taste to “sense danger and drought and even to recognize relatives.” We’ve previously highlighted…
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Is there any scientific evidence that plants might be sentient?
Plants do metabolize diclofenac (the specific mechanism is explained in the article below). This indicates that it’s possible to test if plants could react to painkillers while being damaged. Metabolism of diclofenac in plants – Hydroxylation is followed by glucose conjugation Aditionally, I think this is also relevant: there’s absolutely no evidence that plants are…