Wonderstruck 28: Dr. Monica Gagliano on How Plants Know Things We Don’t
Dec 2, 2025
Dr. Monica Gagliano, an evolutionary ecologist and trailblazer in plant intelligence, shares her groundbreaking research on how plants communicate, remember, and even sense events like eclipses before they occur. She discusses her journey from traditional academia to exploring indigenous teachings, emphasizing the importance of empathy in scientific practice. Monica reveals that plants can act as patient teachers, guiding us in ways we’re just beginning to understand, inviting us to reconsider what we think we know about the natural world.
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Reef Initiation Changed Her Science
- Monica describes an initiation on the Great Barrier Reef when she refused to kill fish for research and felt their trust turn to fear.
- That moment triggered a decade-long shift in her ethics, research methods, and life choices.
Let Curiosity, Not Grants, Lead
- Monica found plants 'rescued the scientist' by inviting playful, curiosity-driven experiments outside institutional constraints.
- She argues that bringing the scientist (researcher) into the room enriches observation and reveals new phenomena.
Include Yourself In Observations
- When studying living beings, include yourself as participant rather than pretending to be an invisible observer.
- Monica recommends empathetic engagement to reveal richer, truer behaviors and relationships.
