"The Light Eaters
By Zoe Schlanger
Harper, 304 pages, $29.99
'Let there be light." Indeed! Without it there would be no plants, no animals, no us. Although the unique capacity of plants for photosynthesis has long fascinated biologists, it was assumed that they were, let's face it, downright stupid. Not any more. In "The Light Eaters," Zoe Schlanger, a science journalist, sheds light on how these previously underestimated creatures have been enjoying their newfound place in the scientific sun.
Are plants intelligent? Can they have minds without a brain, or even neurons? We typically assess intelligence by what an organism does, in which case the underlying hardware should be irrelevant. And Ms. Schlanger points out that plants do a whole lot.
To read "The Light Eaters" is to be astounded by the complex behaviors of these ostensibly lower life-forms. Ms. Schlanger's prose is precise yet loving: "Plants are the very definition of creative becoming: they are in constant motion, albeit slow motion, probing the air and soil in a relentless quest for a livable future." It's not their fault, but ours, that they have been "mostly relegated to the margins of our own lives, the decoration that frames the theatrics of being an animal."
There are lots of gee-whiz moments here. "Several species of plants," we learn, "have been found to identify a caterpillar's species by sensing the compounds in its saliva, and then synthesize the exact compounds to summon its predator. Parasitic wasps then obligingly arrive to take care of the caterpillars."
Here's another. A flowering plant in the Peruvian Andes is visited by pollinating bumblebees. So far, so passive. But there's a kicker: Somehow, the plant remembers the time intervals between these visits, and prepares its starburst-shaped flowers in advance so the pollen is perfectly ready to be distributed each time.
Fertilize your brain with "The Light Eaters" and you'll never look at your favorite, or least favorite, plants the same.
---
Mr. Barash is an evolutionary biologist and professor of psychology emeritus at the University of Washington." [1]
1. REVIEW --- Summer Books -- Shortcuts: Flora & Fauna: Learning To Think Like a Plant. Barash, David. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 25 May 2024: C.16.
Komentarų nėra:
Rašyti komentarą