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tejohnso12/08/20245 repliesview on HN

Okay so months can pick up ultrasonic sounds, plants emit such sounds when stressed, and the moths prefer plants that aren't emitting stress signals to increase likelihood of offspring survival. Every part of that seems pretty amazing.


Replies

snthpy12/10/2024

I was wondering about why the plants are using energy to emit the sounds but since it in effect deters the moths it also increases their chances of survival.

LegitShady12/08/2024

Distressed plants say "feed me, Seymour" and moths hate it.

addicted12/08/2024

And also makes complete sense given evolution.

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Der_Einzige12/09/2024

Seems to validate antinatalism. Nature/reality hates weakness. Getting damaged in this reality often causes a self fulfilling prophecy. The alternative is to reject creating new life as an ethical action, since reality is on balance less than good.

SequoiaHope12/08/2024

Yeah that’s amazing! Plants and moths just co-evolving some fascinating and beautiful traits.

That reminds me of this particularly beautiful section from one of the newer Cosmos episodes, on how insects perceive light reflected from flowers:

https://youtu.be/YJL63kv2_xg