Scientists have discovered that animals hear plant sounds

The secret language of plants: scientists have revealed the amazing ability of green inhabitants of the planet to produce sounds inaudible to the human ear. These signals can serve as an important source of information for the animal world and completely change our understanding of plant communication.

Researchers have discovered that plants in stressful situations – during water shortage or mechanical damage – begin to generate ultrasonic signals. Although humans are unable to hear them, many representatives of fauna, including bats, rodents, and insects, easily detect these sounds. For animals, such signals can serve as a kind of warning, indicating the unhealthy state of the plant and the potential danger of contact with it.

Scientists suggest that sound signals from plants can significantly influence the behavior of pollinators and pests. An insect perceiving a plant's "scream" may adjust its path or change its behavioral strategy. Moreover, there is a hypothesis that plants are able to recognize acoustic signals from their neighbors and respond accordingly – accelerating growth or activating defense mechanisms.

This discovery significantly expands the boundaries of our understanding of natural interactions. Acoustic communication between plants and animals likely represents a much more complex and developed system than we could have previously assumed.