As an experimental plant ecologist, JC Cahill practices what he calls “kick-the-tire science”—a less rigorous type of investigation that may seem outdated in the STEM era. In his film, What Plants Talk About, which originally aired in 2013 on PBS’ Nature, he presents not only astounding discoveries about plant behavior, but also an approach to science that is full of wonder and whimsy. Cahill's expertise begins with finding nature simply amazing and awesome as he demonstrates how plants seek out resources, take care of their young, defend themselves, and most other activities that animals undertake to ensure their survival and reproduction. The very notion of plants moving, sensing, and acting is off-putting at first, but utterly captivating in context.
The 53-minute documentary begins with Cahill seated immobilized in the middle of a meadow with plants growing around him. He takes on the role that we usually ascribe to...
University of California Press