Last night I watched an episode of Mythbusters where they used a polygraph to test "plant emotions". Here is a link on Cleve backster. What I found most interesting was the idea ofplants being able to read minds. In the episode, just by thought alone, were able to affect the "state" of the plants emotions per say.

Just keeping the thread alive.

A poligraph test only works for terrestrial mammals, mainly humans. Attaching one to a plant is just stupid.

I need not read further.

I think it may be possible that emotion can send visuals outside of the mind.
Perhaps the lower lifeforms can pick up on this as being a part of reality, that it is burning heat or freezing cold to them, something that would demand internal adaption to survive.

What do you mean by "visuals"

Animals such as dogs, perhaps, but definitely not plants. Plants don't think. And internal adjustment to what?

The lie detector does not measure emotion. It measures electrical conductivity of the skin, or in this case, the leaf of a plant. The fact that the plant becomes more conductive moments before the scientist decides to burn one of it's leaves is, in my opinion, beyond coincidence.

Here is an idea:

Plants are Empathic. The pick up on Emotional Energy - nothing more and nothing less. They respond to the energy freq/out put -

J -

Lie detectors do not only measure dermal conductivity but they measure heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rates as well.

Lie detectors also do not read emotions or thoughts either. such a test on a plant would be useless as a plant works on completely different principles then a human being. When used properly a lie detector will not say someone is lying but merely record vital signs and signals sent out from the brain. The person reading these print outs then determine whether or not someone is being 'deceptive' through fluctuations in these readings.

These devices are not designed for plant life as plants operate completely differently then human beings, which might i add who these machines were designed for. I highly doubt the findings of such a test.


In order for a plant to do this they need cognitive function. Cognitive funtion requires a brain likewise with emotion. Visuals also require some sort of organ such as an eye which plants also lack.


Plants do respond to stimulus for example during a forrest fir trees wil often curl up their leaves when there is smoke in the area even if it is a very minute ammount. another example is the shedding of leaves during fall as a way to conserve energy during winter time. But none of these are cognitve function merely chemical in nature.



Yes I seen this as well but if you watched the entire episode you would know that they said the readings could have been falsified not by intention....

They had said when they struck the leaves the movement may have triggered the lie detector. As this factor could not be ruled out and the test is blotched. In a lie detector machine as mentioned earlier in my post they measure respiratory, heart and blood pressure. All of these parts of the test are based on movement and pressure. Striking the leaves of these plants by logic should trigger a polygraph machine, not because the plant feels it of course but rather because the machine picked up minute movements and vibrations. It especially went off the scale when they used a fire extinguisher as it was a lot more force then striking a leaf and caused a lot more movement in the plant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUWNFysikeU (link to test on you tube)



This is an impossibility as there is no such energy as 'emotional' for one. Plants again would also need a brain to pick up on someones emotions. Since they are 'not' capable of cognitive function in any way shape or form it is an impossibility for them to 'feel' anything at all.

It's one of those things where I wish it was true, but in the back of my mind is the reality of it all. I thought the idea of the plant being able to pick up on thoughts was pretty interesting.