
06/07/2025
Plants may not have ears, but research shows they can “hear” in their own way, especially when they’re under attack. According to a study from the University of Missouri and reported by Science Alert, certain plants like Arabidopsis thaliana (a small mustard plant) can detect the sound of a caterpillar chewing on their leaves and respond by releasing chemical defenses.
Scientists recorded the vibrations caused by caterpillars feeding and played them back to other plants that weren’t being eaten. Remarkably, those plants began producing more mustard oils, which are compounds that make them taste bad to insects. This response was specific to the sound of chewing. When the plants were exposed to other types of vibrations, such as wind or non-threatening insect movement, they didn’t react the same way.
According to the researchers, this suggests that plants can distinguish between different vibrations and only respond to those that signal danger. While plants don’t hear like animals, they use mechanoreceptors, proteins that detect movement or pressure—to sense these subtle cues. This study is one of the first to show that plants can respond to ecologically relevant sounds, revealing a surprising layer of awareness in the plant world.