Can Plants Hear Insects?

from Strange by Nature Podcast Hosted by Strange by Nature

This week Rachel kicks things off with a discussion of Cloud Forests. This rare habitat is found only in specific parts of the world and many unique plants and animals live there. Okay, so really Rachel is just setting the scene for where next week's strange topic lives. Victoria is up second and brings us fascinating research. Can plants hear? We've talked about this on the show when Kirk talked about plants hearing running water. This new research suggests that some plants can not only hear insect buzzing but differentiate between species of insects in an attempt to thwart nectar robbers. Kirk rounds out the show with a wild story about Ghost Sharks. It turns out males have an appendage on their forehead covered in teeth that they use to grip onto females during reproduction. We've long known this but new research reveals that they actually are true teeth that are growing somewhere other than the mouth. It gives us a unique insight into evolution and how structures are repurposed over time. Join us weekly for more strange nature. Our supporters on Patreon get every episode ad-free! Support us: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: [email protected] Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com where you can sign up for our episode emails.