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Plants make sounds when they’re distressed and humans are only hearing them now for the first time, scientists have found. New research has discovered that sounds are used by plants to communicate with their ecosystems – and they could be studied and used to improve growing conditions for plants in the future. Itzhak Khait of Tel Aviv University led the research, which involved studying tobacco and tomato plants. As the findings showed, the plants made high-frequency noise which could be detected five metres away. The study was published in the journal Cell, and the results “can alter the way we think about the plant kingdom, which has been considered to be almost silent until now”. Not only that, but by studying the sounds emitted by the plants experts could tell whether they were in need of water or suffering from cuts. Lilach Hadany, an evolutionary biologist at Tel Aviv University, told Vice: “We started this project from the evolutionary question: why are plants mute? It appears that plants could have a lot to benefit from acoustic communication.” “We were particularly happy that the sounds turned out to be informative – containing information on the type of the plant and the type of the stress.” The findings could change the way plants are grown and communicate with their environments in future, given that we now know information can be conveyed via the sounds. Hadany went on to say: “What we do know is that there are sounds in the air, and they contain information. “Thus, natural selection may be acting on other organisms (animals and plants) to whom the sounds are relevant, to be able to hear the sounds and interpret them. That includes animals that can hear the sounds and can use the information to choose a food source or a laying site, or potentially plants that can prepare for the stress.” The team said in the study: “Plant sound emissions could offer a way for monitoring crops water and possibly disease states—questions of crucial importance in agriculture. “In times when more and more areas are exposed to drought due to climate change, efficient water use becomes even more critical, for both food security and ecology.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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WhatsApp has said warnings about cyberattacks targeting Jewish people are a hoax with no basis in reality. The Meta-owned platform has debunked several messages widely circulating on social media platforms that warn Jewish people will be the target of cyberattacks through forwarded messages. But WhatsApp communications manager Emily Westcott told The Independent that the forwarded messages, which have been widely shared on the platform as well as across other social media including X/Twitter, are a hoax. The clarification comes amid the ongoing conflict in Israel after an unprecedented surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday. The hoax messages said clicking on pictures of the fighting shared on WhatsApp as a file called “Seismic Waves CARD” would quickly enable phone hacking if opened. Crypto influencer Scott Melker, who has nearly a million followers on X, was one of the users who shared the false warning. “Do not open it, it will hack your phone in 10 seconds and cannot be stopped in any way,” Mr Melker’s post on his verified X account falsely claimed. Ms Westcott pointed out that the same rumour circulated after an earthquake struck Morocco last month that left nearly 3,000 people dead and thosands more injured. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, messages began circulating on social networks that photos of the quake shared in a file named “Seismic Waves CARD” on platforms would enable hackers to access one’s phone if opened. “The file is called Seismic Waves CARD, don’t open it or see it, it will hack your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way. Pass the information on to your family and friends,” the false message had read. WhatsApp also told the fact-checking site Snopes that these messages were “false”. Another Italy-based fact-checking website, Bufale.net, also said the purported “hack” was a hoax. The recent use of the same message adds to the steep levels of misinformation and disinformation being spread following the conflict in Israel. Elon Musk, the multibillionaire owner of X, has also come under heavy criticism for the spread of misinformation on his platform over the attack. The Tesla titan pleaded with X users on Sunday to try and stick to the facts and “stay as close to the truth as possible”. Old videos are being repackaged and circulated on X as if they are from the most recent attack on Israel. One such widely shared video, that falsely claimed to show a Hamas militant shooting down an Israeli helicopter, was later found to be a clip from a video game. Another clip of Israel bombing a Gazan office tower that was shared widely was found to be from fighting that actually occured in 2021. X has not immediately responded to The Independent’s request for comment. Read More Huge crowd chants ‘free Palestine’ in front of Israel’s London embassy Aid groups scramble to help as Israel-Hamas war intensifies and Gaza blockade complicates efforts More than 10 Britons feared dead or missing as Netanyahu exacts revenge on Hamas X introduces limits to prevent non-paying users from replying to posts New discovery is ‘holy grail’ breakthrough in search for aliens, scientist say Earth hit by a huge solar storm that would devastate civilisation, trees show

A newly discovered species of beetle that has sex organs shaped like a bottle opener has been named Carlsberg after the beer giant. Many animals face an uncertain future thanks to changes to their habitats. So, when a brand new species is discovered it is an exciting thing for scientists. It allows experts an opportunity to get creative with the name, with some previous examples including a new rainbow fly species named after RuPaul and an ancient egg-laying mammal named after Sir David Attenborough. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered six new South American beetle species of the rove beetle genus Loncovilius, one of which caught the eye. Because the insect’s penis was shaped like a bottle opener. The unusual shape led to researchers giving it the very apt name – Loncovilius carlsbergi. Biologist Aslak Kappel Hansen, from the Natural History Museum of Denmark, explained: “This species is characterised, among other things, by the fact that the male’s sexual organ is shaped remarkably like a bottle opener. "Therefore, we thought it is obvious to dedicate this species to the Carlsberg Foundation, which has generously supported independent research for many years. “Their support for various projects, expeditions, or purchase of the scientific instruments at the Natural History Museum of Denmark contributes to the discovery of new species on our planet.” Hansen explained that the beetles’ penises evolve to be differently shaped, allowing them to only reproduce with members of the same species. “As such,” Hansen explained, “they are often the best way to identify a species. That’s why entomologists like us are always quick to examine insect genitalia when describing a species. The unique shape of each species’ genitals ensures that it can only reproduce with the same species”. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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