Scientists Can Make Plants Scream

Ananova ^ | 11-23-2001

[blam]

Scientist can make plants scream

A German physics researcher is making plants scream.

University of Bonn scientist Ralph Gaebler uses a special sensor to register plant gas emissions.

When under stress, plants give off increased amounts of ethylene gas. The sensor translates the gas concentration into noise.

The German newspaper Express reports Mr Gaebler demonstrated the method by cutting a leaf off an orchid, which caused a piercing scream.

He said: "The orchid cannot run away, so this is her way of complaining about such mean treatment."

He caused the same effects by infecting a cucumber with mildew.

Mr Gaebler says his machine frequently registers 'screams' coming from fruit baskets.

"Apples naturally give off lots of ethylene gas. If there are any bananas in the basket, they will quickly turn brown from it," he added.

Story filed: 09:53 Friday 23rd November 2001

[lmr]

Love tomatoes... Don't mind the sitting duck targets. Yeah, that Steak I am eating with tomatoes had no idea that he was going to be slaughtered, I mean, out in the pasture all day long, but you know, it tastes good, and it is sustinence. Man, it is good to be on top of the food chain. :-)

[Wissa]

Now what? The antiwar kooks are gonna be showing pictures of the vegetation damaged by the bombing in Afghanistan?

[lmr]

Also- the bacteria that will eat my flesh soon after I die, Don't mind doing it either. They don't worry about "Cruelty to Humans?", do they?

[Syncro]

If there are any bananas in the basket, they will quickly turn brown from it

Man this is soooo infruitmane...

I mean, bananas turning brown from this type of mistreatment...

[Timesink]

If these plants are "screaming" because this guy can measure a chemical reaction on a leaf, then I'm committing a Holocaust every time I fart.

[gunnut]

I am forming a new organization PETP (People for the Ethical Treatment of Plants). I consider myself a vegetable rights activist.

[lmr]

ROFLMAO

[general_re]

I have actually given some thought to this subject. I'm puzzled why anything would evolve to that situation.

Probably because when the first land plants evolved, there was nothing to run from - no animals around to eat them yet.

Besides, they're not totally defenseless - consider how many toxic varieties of plant there are. That caffeine in your coffee might make you a bit jittery, but that's because you have a slick and sophisticated liver. Most other animals would just be stone dead ;)

[k2blader]

And they still want us to believe that a fetus doesn't feel any pain?

Sick, ain't it.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I feel like an idiot! I thought they meant Plants.. those places where union workers hang out!

[F16Fighter]

LOL!

[F16Fighter]

Heh -- not bad!

[A CA Guy]

Put a picture of Hillary in front of them and they'll uproot themselves and commit suicide as well.

[sneakypete]

I'd like to get some audio tapes of this to send to PETA. Maybe this would convince those wacko's to starve themselves to death. Or at least attack vegtable stands.

BTW,I've always pictured the blades of grass I cut screaming in pain as I run over them with my lawnmower.

[Robert357]

I am forming a new organization PETP (People for the Ethical Treatment of Plants). I consider myself a vegetable rights activist.

I hope you realize that many animals eat lots and lots of plants. So before you have a steak, I suggest you go through a mock court proceeding on the cow/steer's incredible history of mass murder. Then convict the cow of mass murder. After the cow/steer is convicted and executed then eat your steak! Such due process, should please the animal rights folks who should be able to understand the magnitude of the cow/steer's crimes against plants! Make sure you don't torture the cow and that you provide it with a quick and painless death. Then enjoy!

[Jhoffa_]

Bwahahaha..

I can't wait to hear PETA's reaction to this.

[BunnySlippers]

Now that we have proven that plants are capable of suffering, does this mean that vegetarians are now going to have to starve to death?

Reminds me of the old joke about someone being a vegetarian not because he loved animals ... but because he hates plants.

[blam]

"Besides, they're not totally defenseless - consider how many toxic varieties of plant there are."

Yes, I've read a number of artricles on plant defenses. Here's one about a symbotic relationship plant/fish. On the Amazon River there is a tree that dispences it's seeds into the water and the seeds are eaten by a particular fish. The fish eats very little else. The seeds of this tree will not germinate until it has passed through the gut of this fish. They are dependant on each other for survival.

[twyn1]

I think it has something to do with the high pitched sound that supposedly comes from plants when they lack water.

If this is true--the plants in my house must be screaming like banshees !!
BTW--we have 3 cats and they don't seem to be concerned about the water-deprived plants, but of course, these cats put the "me generation" to shame....

twyn1