Category Archives: biology

How sound waves can affect plant growth

**How Sound Waves Can Affect Plant Growth**
*By Simran Jeet | Sep 22, 2025 | 01:43 pm*

### What’s the Story?

Sound waves have long fascinated scientists and gardeners alike for their potential effects on plant growth. Although it might sound unusual, emerging research suggests that sound waves can influence how plants develop. In this article, we explore the science behind sound waves and their possible impact on plant growth. By delving into this intriguing topic, we aim to provide insights into how sound waves could benefit gardening and agriculture.

### The Science Behind Sound Waves

Sound waves are vibrations that travel through air or other mediums. When these waves reach plants, they may trigger physical and chemical changes within them. Such changes could affect vital processes like photosynthesis and nutrient absorption.

The frequency and intensity of the sound waves play a crucial role in determining their effects on plant growth. Different sounds can cause different reactions, making it important to understand how sound interacts with living plants.

### Positive Effects on Plant Growth

Several studies have indicated that exposure to certain sound frequencies can promote seed germination and root development. For example, low-frequency sounds might stimulate cellular activity, encouraging faster growth rates.

Furthermore, some researchers suggest that specific musical genres might enhance plant vitality by creating a more favorable environment for growth. This opens up exciting possibilities for using sound as a natural growth enhancer in agriculture and gardening.

### Potential Drawbacks of Sound Exposure

While sound waves may offer benefits, excessive or inappropriate exposure can harm plants. High-intensity sounds have the potential to cause stress or physical damage to delicate plant tissues.

Therefore, it is vital to choose the right type of sound and carefully monitor its effects. Avoiding high volumes and prolonged exposure will help prevent negative outcomes and ensure plants remain healthy.

### Tip 1: Practical Applications in Gardening

For gardeners interested in experimenting with sound waves, it’s best to start with gentle, appropriate frequencies and limit exposure times. Playing soft background music or nature sounds can be a safe and enjoyable way to test this approach without overwhelming your plants.

Regular observation is key—monitor your plants closely to see if sound exposure is improving growth or causing stress. With patience and care, sound waves could become a valuable addition to your gardening toolkit.

Explore the fascinating connection between sound and plant growth, and discover new ways to nurture your garden naturally!
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/lifestyle/how-to-make-plants-thrive-with-sound/story

Pizza-loving lizards to alcoholic bats: Bizarre research wins Ig Nobel

**Pizza-loving lizards to alcoholic bats: Bizarre research wins Ig Nobel**

*By Akash Pandey | Sep 19, 2025, 05:21 PM*

The 35th annual Ig Nobel Prize awards, a celebration of bizarre yet thought-provoking scientific achievements, took place recently at Boston University. The event was also streamed online, allowing a global audience to join in the fun. This year’s ceremony centered around the theme of **digestion**, featuring intriguing talks and unique performances.

One highlight was a presentation by Dr. Trisha Pasricha, who explored the curious connection between smartphone use on toilets and the incidence of hemorrhoids. Additionally, attendees enjoyed a mini-opera titled *“The Plight of the Gastroenterologist,”* adding an artistic touch to the scientific festivities.

### Unusual Research Topics Recognized

The Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded by actual Nobel laureates, honored a variety of unconventional studies that blend curiosity with humor. Some of the standout topics included painting cows with zebra stripes to reduce fly bites and investigating pizza preferences among different lizard species.

Among the notable winners were William B. Bean, who received a posthumous award for meticulously documenting the growth of his fingernail over 35 years. Julie Mennella and Gary Beauchamp were recognized for their research on how garlic consumption affects nursing babies. Meanwhile, Marcin Zajenkowski and Gilles Gignac studied how narcissists react when told they are intelligent, revealing quirky insights into human psychology.

### Innovative Chemistry and Engineering Research

The awards also celebrated groundbreaking work in chemistry and engineering. Rotem Naftalovich, Daniel Naftalovich, and Frank Greenway won the chemistry prize for their unusual study on eating Teflon to increase food volume without adding calories—an idea sure to spark both laughter and curiosity.

In the field of engineering design, Vikash Kumar and Sarthak Mittal examined how foul-smelling shoes influence the experience of using a shoe rack, blending everyday annoyances with scientific investigation.

The physics prize was awarded to a team that analyzed the clumping behavior of pasta sauce, a seemingly trivial phenomenon with surprisingly complex underlying principles.

Carly York, an associate professor of biology at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina, commented on the event’s overall impact: these winners perfectly fulfill the Ig Nobel’s mission—to make people laugh and then think.

The Ig Nobel Prizes continue to celebrate the weird and wonderful side of science, proving that curiosity knows no bounds and that humor can be a powerful tool for learning.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/bizarre-research-honored-at-2025-ig-nobel-prize-awards/story