Ear in the Ground

Plants can “hear” rain coming, and it spurs them into action

- K. R. Callaway

An underwater habitat in the U.S. Virgin Islands was first placed in 1969.

RAIN SOUNDS MAY BE SOOTHING for humans, but for plants the pitter-patter of droplets is more like a jarring morning alarm.

As water falls onto soil or more water, the vibrations are far stronger underground than on the surface, and new research suggests plants take advantage of this wake-up call.

The sound of rain causes rice seeds to sprout faster than they would otherwise, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. The results mark the first direct evidence that plants sense and respond to sounds in their environment, the researchers say. And it’s likely that seeds from other plant species behave in the same way.