Question: Do plants have feelings?

Hayley Clissold answered on 25 Jun 2015:

That’s a really interesting question that seems to have quite a bit of debate in the world of science!

Many people believe that plants don’t have feelings, because they don’t have a nervous system or a brain. Humans have feelings because of signals that are sent to our brain that enable us to feel things like pain. However, plants don’t have brains, so therefore they can’t have feelings.

However, others believe that plants may be able to feel pain. Some researchers have found out that plants release gases that are the equivalent of crying out in pain. They managed to pick up sound waves that were released when the plant was cut/injured.

Other researchers believe that plants can hear when they are being eaten. Apparently the plants respond to being chewed by caterpillars by activating several defence mechanisms!

It’s a rather odd thought to think of plants having feelings, but because they (like other organisms) have several complex communication systems, there may be a possibility that they have more feelings than we originally thought!