Join Patrick House, a neuroscientist studying the mind-bending effects of Toxoplasma gondii, Daniel Chamovitz, a plant geneticist and president of Ben Gurion University, and Zoë Schlanger, a science writer delving into plant sound perception. They explore whether plants experience consciousness through their behaviors, question the necessity of consciousness in both plants and animals, and reveal surprising insights about parasitic plants' decision-making. Tune in for a captivating discussion that challenges perceptions of life and awareness!
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Intertree Communication
Annaka Harris recounts a hike where she observed trees and considered intertree communication via mycorrhizal networks.
Suzanne Simard's research revealed that trees like Douglas fir and paper birch exchange carbon and nutrients, with mother trees nurturing seedlings.
insights INSIGHT
Mycorrhizal Networks
Mycorrhizal networks, dense underground fungal networks, connect plants and trees.
These networks facilitate the transfer of water, carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients.
insights INSIGHT
Plant Behavior and Consciousness
Observing plant behavior challenges assumptions about consciousness.
Plants exhibit behaviors similar to pain, fear, or love, making us question why consciousness is necessary in animals but not plants.
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Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness offers a comprehensive overview of modern consciousness research. Neuroscientist Patrick House explores complex concepts in accessible terms, weaving together brain science, technology, gaming, analogy, and philosophy to illuminate how the brain works and what enables consciousness. The book fosters a sense of mystery and wonder about the relationship between our inner selves and the environment.
What a Plant Knows
Daniel Chamovitz
In *What a Plant Knows*, Daniel Chamovitz delves into the fascinating world of plant senses, comparing them to human senses like sight, smell, touch, and memory. He discusses how plants perceive their environment, respond to stimuli, and even communicate with each other through chemical signals. The book offers a compelling look at the intricate lives of plants and their surprising similarities to human experiences.
The Light Eaters
How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
Zoë Schlanger
In 'The Light Eaters,' Zoë Schlanger delves into the world of plant intelligence, challenging our understanding of agency, consciousness, and intelligence. The book takes readers on a global journey, highlighting the remarkable abilities of plants, such as their adaptive techniques, communicative abilities, and social behaviors. Schlanger works closely with scientists to uncover the latest epiphanies in botanical research, revealing how plants have formed a parallel system of intelligence that is distinct from human and animal intelligence. The book is a blend of science journalism, travelogue, and introspective journey, offering a fresh and transformative understanding of plants and their essential role in the ecosystem.
Observing plant behavior helps us investigate our assumptions about consciousness from a new angle. Most of us share the intuition that plants aren’t conscious. But when we look more closely at plant behaviors that fall into the surprisingly similar behavioral categories we might call pain, fear, or even love, we can ask ourselves why we think consciousness is necessary for certain behavior in animals, but not in plants. Is it possible that any processing of information, and subsequent behavior, in plants is accompanied by felt experience? Or, alternately, perhaps we don’t need consciousness to perform human behavior in the ways we have always assumed?
In Chapter 4, Annaka talks to Daniel Chamovitz, Zoë Schlanger, and Patrick House about the wonderful world of plants and parasites.
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