Joel Kontinen
Scientists have
known for centuries that sunflowers wobble in seemingly random ways as they
grow – but it seems that those movements actually optimise how much light each
plant gets
Sunflowers move in
a way that helps their neighbours. The seemingly random motion of the plants’
roots and shoots actually minimises shade cover in crowded environments,
ensuring that all of them get enough light to grow.
Scientists have
known about this plant motion, known as circumnutation, for centuries, but its purpose has always been
elusive. “In climbing plants, it’s clear that it’s a search process, searching
for a new stick to twine on. But in other plants, it’s not clear if it’s a bug
or a feature,” says Yasmine Meroz.
How do sunflowers
get enough light? The one who made them gave them some intelligent design with
which them could solve this problem.
Leah Crane, 2024. The surprising way sunflowers work together to get enough light | New Scientist 15 August.
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