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Can this Plant /Actually/ See?
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Duration: | 07:35 |
Uploaded: | 2023-02-13 |
Last sync: | 2024-12-09 16:00 |
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MLA Full: | "Can this Plant /Actually/ See?" YouTube, uploaded by SciShow, 13 February 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWWsYw9fH0. |
MLA Inline: | (SciShow, 2023) |
APA Full: | SciShow. (2023, February 13). Can this Plant /Actually/ See? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5UWWsYw9fH0 |
APA Inline: | (SciShow, 2023) |
Chicago Full: |
SciShow, "Can this Plant /Actually/ See?", February 13, 2023, YouTube, 07:35, https://youtube.com/watch?v=5UWWsYw9fH0. |
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These South American plants can mimic other trees, and it's possible that they can do this because they can SEE.
These Plants Can Shapeshift
Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
----------
Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scishow
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Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever: Matt Curls, Alisa Sherbow, Dr. Melvin Sanicas, Harrison Mills, Adam Brainard, Chris Peters, charles george, Piya Shedden, Alex Hackman, Christopher R, Boucher, Jeffrey Mckishen, Ash, Silas Emrys, Eric Jensen, Kevin Bealer, Jason A Saslow, Tom Mosner, Tomás Lagos González, Jacob, Christoph Schwanke, Sam Lutfi, Bryan Cloer
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#SciShow #science #education #learning #complexly
----------
Sources:
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:107230-1
https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article/58/1/1/515544
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4536854/
https://www.nature.com/articles/nrg3962
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040035
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10142-013-0345-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8608808/#CR52
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8608808/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gottlieb-Haberlandt
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360138516300930#bib0105
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1907.tb06045.x
https://elifesciences.org/articles/12620
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/61
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=DDsZAAAAYAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&ots=UexUhpPmec&sig=-lUUziqAobjhEYFpUWjEneoz-yM#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/veggies-with-vision-do-plants-see-the-world-around-them/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfB0DwquYHg
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8903786/
https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2022/11/30/23473062/plant-mimicry-boquila-trifoliolata
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138516301923
https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/can-plants-see-in-the-wake-of-a-controversial-study-the-answer-is-still-unclear-70796
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138516300930#bib0105
Image Sources:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133542431
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8608808/
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70070765
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106651589
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73145183
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130658843
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/schematic-illustration-of-bacterial-royalty-free-illustration/1392361605?phrase=gene%20transfer&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/the-moss-that-falls-on-the-fallen-rice-is-like-a-royalty-free-image/1160884809?phrase=rice%20growing&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/millet-about-to-ripen-royalty-free-image/1169487781?phrase=millet&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/handshake-of-farmers-in-a-green-field-farmers-in-the-stock-footage/1401352338?phrase=handshake&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/close-up-of-the-face-of-a-sneezing-baby-stock-footage/1216249750?phrase=sneeze&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/microscopic-blue-bacteria-background-royalty-free-image/628978952?phrase=bacteria&adppopup=true
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84907600
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhaphithamnus_spinosus_(8730120818).jpg
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/bacteria-rain-down-on-a-green-screen-3d-animation-stock-footage/1448794778?phrase=bacteria%20greenscreen&adppopup=true
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84907600
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/artificial-plant-philodendron-monstera-planted-on-royalty-free-image/1367805130?phrase=fake%20plant&adppopup=true
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46341700
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84907600
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106651589
These South American plants can mimic other trees, and it's possible that they can do this because they can SEE.
These Plants Can Shapeshift
Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
----------
Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scishow
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever: Matt Curls, Alisa Sherbow, Dr. Melvin Sanicas, Harrison Mills, Adam Brainard, Chris Peters, charles george, Piya Shedden, Alex Hackman, Christopher R, Boucher, Jeffrey Mckishen, Ash, Silas Emrys, Eric Jensen, Kevin Bealer, Jason A Saslow, Tom Mosner, Tomás Lagos González, Jacob, Christoph Schwanke, Sam Lutfi, Bryan Cloer
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
SciShow Tangents Podcast: https://scishow-tangents.simplecast.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scishow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/scishow
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishowFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/scishow
#SciShow #science #education #learning #complexly
----------
Sources:
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:107230-1
https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article/58/1/1/515544
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4536854/
https://www.nature.com/articles/nrg3962
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040035
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10142-013-0345-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8608808/#CR52
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8608808/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gottlieb-Haberlandt
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360138516300930#bib0105
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1907.tb06045.x
https://elifesciences.org/articles/12620
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/61
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=DDsZAAAAYAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&ots=UexUhpPmec&sig=-lUUziqAobjhEYFpUWjEneoz-yM#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/veggies-with-vision-do-plants-see-the-world-around-them/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfB0DwquYHg
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8903786/
https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2022/11/30/23473062/plant-mimicry-boquila-trifoliolata
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138516301923
https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/can-plants-see-in-the-wake-of-a-controversial-study-the-answer-is-still-unclear-70796
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138516300930#bib0105
Image Sources:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133542431
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8608808/
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70070765
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106651589
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73145183
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130658843
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/schematic-illustration-of-bacterial-royalty-free-illustration/1392361605?phrase=gene%20transfer&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/the-moss-that-falls-on-the-fallen-rice-is-like-a-royalty-free-image/1160884809?phrase=rice%20growing&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/millet-about-to-ripen-royalty-free-image/1169487781?phrase=millet&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/handshake-of-farmers-in-a-green-field-farmers-in-the-stock-footage/1401352338?phrase=handshake&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/close-up-of-the-face-of-a-sneezing-baby-stock-footage/1216249750?phrase=sneeze&adppopup=true
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/microscopic-blue-bacteria-background-royalty-free-image/628978952?phrase=bacteria&adppopup=true
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84907600
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhaphithamnus_spinosus_(8730120818).jpg
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/bacteria-rain-down-on-a-green-screen-3d-animation-stock-footage/1448794778?phrase=bacteria%20greenscreen&adppopup=true
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84907600
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/artificial-plant-philodendron-monstera-planted-on-royalty-free-image/1367805130?phrase=fake%20plant&adppopup=true
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46341700
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84907600
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106651589
This SciShow video is supported by Brilliant!
As a SciShow viewer, you can keep building your STEM skills with 20% off an annual premium subscription at Brilliant.org/SciShow. [♪ INTRO] When it comes to plant biology, it seems like we should have most of it figured out by now. Sure, we spot a new species or maybe a funky adaptation every once in a while, but for the most part, it doesn’t seem like there can be all that much more to discover, right?
Wrong! There is a vining plant called Boquila trifoliolata that is challenging everything we know about how plants work, and even raises a pretty bizarre question: Can plants see? This unassuming climbing vine is found in the temperate rainforests of Chile and Argentina, where it seamlessly blends in with its surrounding plants.
In fact, it blends in with its floral neighbors so well because it literally changes its leaves to copy them. Boquila can alter almost every aspect of its leaves, including the size, shape, color, orientation, and stalk length, all in order to disguise itself like the trees it grows on for support. This may be an adaptation to avoid predation by both climbing on another leafy plant and blending in with its host leaves, which might be less tasty to bugs, slugs, and snails than Boquila leaves are.
Boquila vines have been found to mimic the leaves of more than a dozen species of trees. And, they don’t stop at just mimicking the plants they’re climbing on! They can copy other nearby plants too, without even touching them. Not only that, but they can even grow multiple leaf shapes on a single vine, meaning they can mimic more than just one plant at a time.
And the kicker is that scientists still don’t know how these plants are able to do any of it. They do have a couple of ideas, though. One fascinating hypothesis is that the vines are receiving the genetic blueprint to make these new shapes directly from those neighboring leaves.
This neat trick is known as horizontal gene transfer, or the process of passing genetic material directly from one mature organism to another, as opposed to a parent giving their offspring their genes. Horizontal gene transfer is pretty common between single celled organisms like bacteria, which pass around genes for things like antibiotic resistance; stuff that keeps the whole population healthy. And we also know that genes can be transferred between members of different species, even in multicellular organisms.
For example, scientists have previously discovered that genes have “jumped” between rice and another type of grain called millet, despite the fact that those two species diverged between 30 and 60 million years ago. But exactly how horizontal gene transfer works in plants is still a bit of a head scratcher, and has been considered an unlikely mechanism for something as complex and sophisticated as rapid mimicry. For a little bit of context, gene transfer changing a plant’s appearance would be like a handshake changing your eye color, or someone sneezing on you making your hair curly.
It just, it feels… a little out there. But in 2021, some of the same researchers that originally described the shape-shifting properties of Boquila vines came up with a plausible mechanism for these plants swapping genes. Their idea is that airborne bacteria carry genetic material from the neighboring plants to Boquila’s leaves, and the leaves can then integrate that information into their own genes and use it to change shape.
This is wild, but it outlines how strange of a problem it is. So, to test this, they sequenced the DNA in bacteria from Boquila leaves as well as the leaves from plants it had copied. When they compared the bacterial communities, they found an overlap between Boquila and the mimicked plants.
Not only that, but there were significant differences between the bacteria on the Boquila leaves that had changed shape and the Boquila that hadn’t. These results hint that bacteria may be playing a role in the exchange of genetic material, which would be a pretty revolutionary idea, botanically speaking. That said, the authors also acknowledge that more has to be done to lock down this hypothesis.
It’s a pretty extraordinary claim; it would need pretty extraordinary evidence. But there is another even wilder possibility for how Boquila has become a master of disguise. A recent study has explored the rather controversial idea that these vines can see.
The science-fiction-y idea that plants might be able to see has been around since 1905. That’s when Austrian botanist Gottlieb Haberlandt suggested that the outer layer of cells on a leaf could act as a lens, focusing the rays of light onto light-sensing cells, which all together is called an ocellus. We have found some forms of photoreceptors in plants, but whether they allow plants to actually see shapes or colors, or even exist at all, has yet to be confirmed.
But that hasn’t stopped researchers from exploring the idea of plant vision in Boquila. In a 2022 study, researchers decided to give some Boquila plants an eye exam. Since they knew that Boquila can mimic living plants, they decided to see if the vines could copy fake, plastic plants too.
Since a plastic plant doesn’t have any genes to transfer, it would mean that if Boquila was able to mimic these leaves, it was not doing so by using genetics or any chemical signals from the host. They also grew other vines below a shelf, blocking their line of sight to the fake plants. As the Boquila vine grew toward the artificial plant, its leaves started to morph, reportedly becoming more like the fake leaves, while the Boquila branches hidden by the shelf got bigger, but didn’t change shape.
All of which, the authors argue, supports their idea that Boquila can see. Now to be clear, other plant biologists are pretty skeptical of the plant vision hypothesis, going as far to call the idea “far-fetched”. Not only that, but several researchers have criticized the design of that 2022 study, saying the variables that can influence leaf shape, like the age of the leaves and light exposure, weren’t properly controlled for.
They also criticized the lack of explanation for how plant vision could reasonably work, since the whole hypothesis hinges on the plants, like, actually being able to see stuff. But the study’s authors stand by their work, and are currently doing more experiments with Boquila plants to further investigate their plant vision hypothesis. And even the critics will concede that they won’t say it’s impossible that plants can see.
We might even find that both horizontal gene transfer and plant vision are at play when these guys mimic their neighbors. These weird copycats are just one more example of how little we really understand about the natural world! ‘Cause who knows? Maybe when you look at that houseplant on your desk, it’s looking back at you.
Regardless of how they do it, you have to admit that it is pretty cool these plants can shape-shift. They’re 3D objects that change into different shaped 3D objects! And if that doesn’t immediately send you reeling, then you can always watch this video again after taking the Brilliant course on 3D .
Brilliant is an online learning platform with courses in science, computer science, and math. And this particular course uses interactive puzzles and lessons to help you appreciate just how complicated the third dimension is. From cross sections to folding, you will learn how 3D shapes can bend themselves and your mind.
And since you watch SciShow, you can get 20% off an annual premium Brilliant subscription by clicking the link in the description down below or by going to Brilliant.org/SciShow. Thanks to you for watching and thanks to Brilliant for supporting this SciShow video! [♪ OUTRO]
As a SciShow viewer, you can keep building your STEM skills with 20% off an annual premium subscription at Brilliant.org/SciShow. [♪ INTRO] When it comes to plant biology, it seems like we should have most of it figured out by now. Sure, we spot a new species or maybe a funky adaptation every once in a while, but for the most part, it doesn’t seem like there can be all that much more to discover, right?
Wrong! There is a vining plant called Boquila trifoliolata that is challenging everything we know about how plants work, and even raises a pretty bizarre question: Can plants see? This unassuming climbing vine is found in the temperate rainforests of Chile and Argentina, where it seamlessly blends in with its surrounding plants.
In fact, it blends in with its floral neighbors so well because it literally changes its leaves to copy them. Boquila can alter almost every aspect of its leaves, including the size, shape, color, orientation, and stalk length, all in order to disguise itself like the trees it grows on for support. This may be an adaptation to avoid predation by both climbing on another leafy plant and blending in with its host leaves, which might be less tasty to bugs, slugs, and snails than Boquila leaves are.
Boquila vines have been found to mimic the leaves of more than a dozen species of trees. And, they don’t stop at just mimicking the plants they’re climbing on! They can copy other nearby plants too, without even touching them. Not only that, but they can even grow multiple leaf shapes on a single vine, meaning they can mimic more than just one plant at a time.
And the kicker is that scientists still don’t know how these plants are able to do any of it. They do have a couple of ideas, though. One fascinating hypothesis is that the vines are receiving the genetic blueprint to make these new shapes directly from those neighboring leaves.
This neat trick is known as horizontal gene transfer, or the process of passing genetic material directly from one mature organism to another, as opposed to a parent giving their offspring their genes. Horizontal gene transfer is pretty common between single celled organisms like bacteria, which pass around genes for things like antibiotic resistance; stuff that keeps the whole population healthy. And we also know that genes can be transferred between members of different species, even in multicellular organisms.
For example, scientists have previously discovered that genes have “jumped” between rice and another type of grain called millet, despite the fact that those two species diverged between 30 and 60 million years ago. But exactly how horizontal gene transfer works in plants is still a bit of a head scratcher, and has been considered an unlikely mechanism for something as complex and sophisticated as rapid mimicry. For a little bit of context, gene transfer changing a plant’s appearance would be like a handshake changing your eye color, or someone sneezing on you making your hair curly.
It just, it feels… a little out there. But in 2021, some of the same researchers that originally described the shape-shifting properties of Boquila vines came up with a plausible mechanism for these plants swapping genes. Their idea is that airborne bacteria carry genetic material from the neighboring plants to Boquila’s leaves, and the leaves can then integrate that information into their own genes and use it to change shape.
This is wild, but it outlines how strange of a problem it is. So, to test this, they sequenced the DNA in bacteria from Boquila leaves as well as the leaves from plants it had copied. When they compared the bacterial communities, they found an overlap between Boquila and the mimicked plants.
Not only that, but there were significant differences between the bacteria on the Boquila leaves that had changed shape and the Boquila that hadn’t. These results hint that bacteria may be playing a role in the exchange of genetic material, which would be a pretty revolutionary idea, botanically speaking. That said, the authors also acknowledge that more has to be done to lock down this hypothesis.
It’s a pretty extraordinary claim; it would need pretty extraordinary evidence. But there is another even wilder possibility for how Boquila has become a master of disguise. A recent study has explored the rather controversial idea that these vines can see.
The science-fiction-y idea that plants might be able to see has been around since 1905. That’s when Austrian botanist Gottlieb Haberlandt suggested that the outer layer of cells on a leaf could act as a lens, focusing the rays of light onto light-sensing cells, which all together is called an ocellus. We have found some forms of photoreceptors in plants, but whether they allow plants to actually see shapes or colors, or even exist at all, has yet to be confirmed.
But that hasn’t stopped researchers from exploring the idea of plant vision in Boquila. In a 2022 study, researchers decided to give some Boquila plants an eye exam. Since they knew that Boquila can mimic living plants, they decided to see if the vines could copy fake, plastic plants too.
Since a plastic plant doesn’t have any genes to transfer, it would mean that if Boquila was able to mimic these leaves, it was not doing so by using genetics or any chemical signals from the host. They also grew other vines below a shelf, blocking their line of sight to the fake plants. As the Boquila vine grew toward the artificial plant, its leaves started to morph, reportedly becoming more like the fake leaves, while the Boquila branches hidden by the shelf got bigger, but didn’t change shape.
All of which, the authors argue, supports their idea that Boquila can see. Now to be clear, other plant biologists are pretty skeptical of the plant vision hypothesis, going as far to call the idea “far-fetched”. Not only that, but several researchers have criticized the design of that 2022 study, saying the variables that can influence leaf shape, like the age of the leaves and light exposure, weren’t properly controlled for.
They also criticized the lack of explanation for how plant vision could reasonably work, since the whole hypothesis hinges on the plants, like, actually being able to see stuff. But the study’s authors stand by their work, and are currently doing more experiments with Boquila plants to further investigate their plant vision hypothesis. And even the critics will concede that they won’t say it’s impossible that plants can see.
We might even find that both horizontal gene transfer and plant vision are at play when these guys mimic their neighbors. These weird copycats are just one more example of how little we really understand about the natural world! ‘Cause who knows? Maybe when you look at that houseplant on your desk, it’s looking back at you.
Regardless of how they do it, you have to admit that it is pretty cool these plants can shape-shift. They’re 3D objects that change into different shaped 3D objects! And if that doesn’t immediately send you reeling, then you can always watch this video again after taking the Brilliant course on 3D .
Brilliant is an online learning platform with courses in science, computer science, and math. And this particular course uses interactive puzzles and lessons to help you appreciate just how complicated the third dimension is. From cross sections to folding, you will learn how 3D shapes can bend themselves and your mind.
And since you watch SciShow, you can get 20% off an annual premium Brilliant subscription by clicking the link in the description down below or by going to Brilliant.org/SciShow. Thanks to you for watching and thanks to Brilliant for supporting this SciShow video! [♪ OUTRO]