Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!ittral!pellegri
From: pellegri@ittral.UUCP (Dan Pellegrino)
Newsgroups: net.veg
Subject: Did you see it too?
Message-ID: <334@ittral.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 6-Jan-84 12:41:33 EST
Article-I.D.: ittral.334
Posted: Fri Jan  6 12:41:33 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 10-Jan-84 00:38:57 EST
Lines: 54


I was watching a show on one of the PBS stations about a year ago and was amazed
at what I saw.  Unfortunately,  I cannot remember the title of the program and
cannot, for the time being, support the following information.

Scientists in Japan had attached sensors to a plant (I don't remember the
species or anything about the classification of the plant) and had fed the
information from the sensors through some kind of converter/amplifier so that
the output signal was audible to humans.  Latr in the experiment, the 
scientists placed a plant of the same type, with no sensors attached, next
to the first plant.  One scientist then proceeded to savagely destroy the
second plant, breaking it and tearing it to pieces until there was only a stub
left, while the reaction of the first plant was monitored.  The first plant was
actually screaming and seemed to be extremely upset during the entire act
and until shortly thereafter.  

Later in the experiment, the group of scientists walked slowly, in a single-
file line, past the monitored plant.  The plant did not react  until the
scientist that destroyed the second plant walked by, at which time the monitored
plant began to scream terribly.  Wow!  I couldn't believe it!  It remembered
not only the deed but the doer also!

Later still...one of the scientists (not the destroyer) was conducting an
experiment with phonetics.  She spoke various phonemes, one or two at a time,
and the plant was actually repeating the sound.  Mind you, the phonemes were not
that difficult - none that required skillful manipulation of the lips, tongue or
larynx - but were repeated with surprising fidelity.  The scientist said her 
goal was to teach it the entire alphabet, although this was not accomplished
during the course of the television program.

My question to y'all is did any of you ever see or read of this or similar
experiments?  If so, please acknowledge to me or, preferably, to the net.

What if all plants have this sort of consciousness?  If they do, maybe we
should just eat the fruits of plants, since they are produced to be shed
anyway, and refrain from killing and consuming whole plants.  This would
enable the eating of squashes, tomatoes, beans, grains, apples and scores
of others but would exclude such favorites as broccoli, carrots and cabbage
(which are three very nutritious vegetables) and many others.  Can anyone
speculate or confirm whether such a diet could be nutritionally complete?
Initially, without investigating, my guess would be yes, such a diet can be
nutritionally complete, especially if dairy products derived from milk (since
it also is produced to be shed without the sacrifice of the donor's life)
are added to the diet. 

If research, such as the experiment mentioned above, proves to be conclusive
it will mean another dietary modification for bleeding hearts such as myself.
It shouldn't have any more transitional impact or long-term effect than becoming
vegetarian after being a meat eater.  It would require the same type of
careful planning and careful execution of the plan as before.  Maybe modern
technology can retrofit our bodies with a system for photosynthesis.

                                        Dan Pellegrino
                                        ittvax!ittral!pellegri