“Plants most definitely are using sound to gain information about the world around them.” On “The Intelligence” we examine mounting evidence that…they’re listening

Plants don’t “scream” in the way animals do, but they do release powerful chemical signals when they are stressed. When a plant is attacked by insects, cut, or exposed to drought, it can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. These chemicals can serve several purposes at once: they may warn nearby plants to activate their own defences, or attract predators such as parasitic wasps that hunt the insects feeding on them. For example, corn plants under caterpillar attack release scents that summon wasps to help control the damage, they release a precise blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including the key chemical DMNT. These airborne “distress signals” travel through the air and attract parasitic wasps. The wasps locate the caterpillars, lay their eggs inside them, and the developing wasp larvae then consume the caterpillar from the inside out, reducing their population This sophisticated chemical cry for help allows the corn plant to recruit its own bodyguards, dramatically reducing the damage from herbivores. It’s one of the best-studied examples of plants actively communicating with other species to defend themselves. Cotton and tomato plants also recruit wasps Sagebrush doesn’t just call for help from insects , it releases VOCs (like camphor and thujone) when damaged, which “warn” neighboring sagebrush plants to increase their chemical defenses (making their leaves less tasty to herbivores). These are not sounds or emotions just complex biochemical responses but together they form an invisible communication system happening constantly in the plant world.