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Have We Underestimated Plants?
Plants are far more sophisticated than we think. They can respond to more than a dozen different stimuli, communicate with each other and even make complex ‘decisions.’
New research suggests plants might be capable of more than many of us might expect. Some – controversially – even describe plants as “intelligent”, or even “sentient”. So, this week, we’re asking: have we underestimated plants? Our expert witnesses include an academic studying how networks of trees communicate through what she describes as a “wood wide web”, and the pioneer who is using plants to develop robotics.
(Photo: US-Fall-Shenandoah, Credit: Getty Images)
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Tue 17 Nov 201521:06GMT
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- Tue 17 Nov 201502:06GMTBBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Tue 17 Nov 201503:06GMTBBC World Service Online, East Asia & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Tue 17 Nov 201504:06GMTBBC World Service South Asia
- Tue 17 Nov 201505:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia
- Tue 17 Nov 201507:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa
- Tue 17 Nov 201513:06GMTBBC World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
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- Tue 17 Nov 201521:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia, South Asia, East Asia & West and Central Africa only
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