What a Plant Knows

What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses by Daniel Chamovitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elegantly expressed overview of current plant research, comparing plant senses and human senses. Debunks some of the ideas expressed in The Secret Life of Plants, at least as they were popularized in the media, and yet in the end saying plants are aware. Disappointingly short, only 141 pages plus 30 pages of notes, index, and acknowledgements. Highly recommended for people who love to read science. Good discussion of epinegenetics, also. Saw it reviewed in Science News, asked the library to order, and will be getting it back so the 10 other people in line can read it.
It was so good I bought the book. Scientists who write well are even more rare than writers who write well about science...but if they're writing, they're not doing the science...but if they're not explaining the science...anyway. Richard Feynman, Loren Eiseley, Michio Kaku: that kind of five stars writing.


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