177 (Paperback edition: April 30, 2013); 201(Revised edition: Nov 21, 2017);
What a Plant Knows is a popular science book by Daniel Chamovitz, originally published in 2012, discussing the sensory system of plants.[1] The book explores how plants perceive their environment through senses analogous to human sight, smell, touch, hearing, and memory. The book has been translated into over 20 languages and has influenced discussions in plant biology, philosophy, and ethics. A revised edition was published in 2017.[2]
Judiciously manipulating similes with dashes of anthropomorphism, Chamovitz introduces each of the vital human senses (all except taste) and explains its meaning for humans as contrasted with its function in plants. There are no noses or eyes as such in the plant world, but there are organs and responses that mimic our physiology. Much like how humans smell food, plants too have chemical receptors that bind to very specific gaseous chemical compounds. The author recounts how willows, attacked by caterpillars, send airborne pheromones to neighboring willows. Warned by these gaseous signals (or “smells”) of a nearby infestation, the neighbors begin manufacturing increased levels of toxic chemicals to render their leaves unpalatable to the caterpillars.[3]
Synopsis
The book is structured around the concept of plant senses, with each chapter dedicated to a specific sense:
Sight: Explores how plants detect light and its direction, enabling them to orient themselves for optimal photosynthesis.
Smell: Discusses how plants emit and detect volatile compounds, facilitating communication and defense mechanisms.
Taste: Discusses how plants secrete and detect soluble compounds, enabling communication between plants and regulation of plant nutrition.
Touch: Examines plants' responses to mechanical stimuli, such as the rapid closure of the Venus flytrap upon contact.
Hearing: Investigates the controversial idea that plants may respond to sound vibrations, although this area remains under scientific scrutiny.
Balance: Shows how plants perceive proprioception and coordinate movements.
Memory: Considers how plants can "remember" past exposures to stimuli, affecting future responses.
Chamovitz emphasizes that while plants do not possess consciousness, their sensory capabilities are complex and vital for survival.
What a Plant Knows has been translated and published in a number of languages.[7] Since its original publication, what a plant knows has been cited in over 500 academic journals influencing the discourse not only in plant biology, but in diverse Fields such as ethics, philosophy, and human biology.[8]
Summary of What a Plant Knows Editions
Language
Publisher
Publication year
notes
English (USA)
Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux
2012
2nd edition 2017
English (UK)
One World
2012
2nd edition 2017
English (Australia)
Scribe
2012
2nd edition 2017
Japanese
Kawade Shobo Shinsha
2012
Chinese (simplified)
Beijing Mediatime Books
2012
2nd edition, 2018
Hebrew
Matar
2013
2nd edition, 2023
Chinese (complex)
Rye Field
2012
German Was Pflanzen wissen: wie sie sehen, riechen und sich erinnern
Hanser
2012
2nd edition, 2017
Korean
Darun
2013
2nd edition 2019
Croatian
Planetopija
2013
Estonian Mida Taim Teab
Aripaev
2012
Polish Zmysłowe życie roślin: podreczny atlas zmysłów
WAB
2013
Italian Quel che una pianta sa: guida ai sensi nel mondo vegetale
Cortina
2013
French La Plante et ses sens
Buchet Chastel
2013
2nd edition 2018
Russian
Centrepolygraph
2017
Serbian
Center for the Promotion of Science
2017
Slovanian
ARA Zalozba
2018
Czech
Academia
2020
Turkish
Metis
2018
Hungarian
Park Konyvkiado Kft
2018
Spanish
Ariel
2019
Thai
Bookscape Publishing House
2024
References
↑ Chamovitz, Daniel (30 April 2013). What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN978-0374533885.
↑ Chamovitz, Daniel (2012). What a plant knows: a field guide to the senses (1st Hardcovered.). Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN9780374288730.
↑ Chamovitz, Daniel (2012). What a plant knows: a field guide to the senses (1st Paperbacked.). Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN9780374533885.
↑ Chamovitz, Daniel (2017). What a plant knows: a field guide to the senses (First revised paperbacked.). Scientific American / Farrar, Straus, Giroux. ISBN9780374537128.
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