Plants appear to detect the patter of falling rain

MIT engineers have found the first direct evidence that plant seeds can sense sounds in nature: Rice submerged in shallow water germinated 30% to 40% more quickly when exposed to vibrations from water dripping on the surface. They think other types of seeds may respond similarly. When a raindrop hits a puddle’s surface or the ground, the researchers found, the vibrations from the resulting sound wave can be strong enough to dislodge tiny gravity-­sensing organelles called statoliths.