Symphony by a Plant
Recent studies have shown that plants emit ultrasounds, inaudible at first sight to the human ear, but detectable by animals next to the plant, such as insects or small mammals. These ultrasounds reflect the behavior of the plant in relation to what’s happening in its environment, to human or animal activity.
Thus, if the plant is full of nutrients and water and if its environment is conducive to its development, it will emit very melodious ultrasounds, close to the symphony. On the contrary, if the plant is stressed and lacks water, its ultrasound will be closer to a scream. Thus the butterflies would not lay their eggs on a plant which they perceive that it’s stressed by a lack of water.
About fifteen researchers from Tel Aviv University as well as the nurseryman Jean Thoby are working together on this new science which has been recognized in 2014 and named phyto neurology.
These sounds are the result of an electrical activity emitted by each plant. Jean Thoby has captured this electrical activity thanks to two electrodes, one placed at the root of the plant, the other on a leaf or flower. These transcoded and amplified oscillations and vibrations are then transformed into musical notes. We thus obtain a plant score.
Symphony by a Plant is akin to a musical Tamagotchi® whose main character is a plant. Your plant to play is in a landscape that can be shaped to your liking. You interact with your plant and its environment, and can listen to its singing in real time. In addition to the sound emitted by the plant, a life bar will allow you to know its general state of well-being. Both educational and contemplative, Symphony by a Plant seeks to raise awareness about the fundamental place of the plant in a world where ecological awareness is taking its rightful place.
Personal project - WORK IN PROGRESS, website with illustrations, logo, pictograms, interface, motion design. Music: singing of a Camellia japonica Kyngyo Tsubaki recorded by Jean Thoby.
