Tomatoes talk, birch trees learn - do plants have dignity? | Florianne Koechlin | TEDxZurich

Plants are not passive, senseless objects. They use the language of fragrances to communicate above and below ground and engage in lively relationships with their environment and peers. Not only do they support relatives, harass strangers, make alliances, they also learn from experience and remember past events. Underground they form extensive root and fungal networks to exchange nutrients and information - an internet of plant communities of unimaginable size. What are the consequences of re-imaging the rights of plants? Do they deserve more respect? A recent amendment to the Swiss Constitution asserts that plants have “dignity”. Is dignity for plants an absurd concept? Florianne Koechlin thinks not.
Florianne Koechlin holds a degree in Chemistry (Middlebury College USA) and a degree in Biology and Chemistry education (University of Basel). She is the founder and current Managing Director of the Blueridge Institute, in Muenchenstein, Switzerland. She is a co-founder of the Swiss Working Group on Genetic Engineering (SAG), the Basel Appeals against Genetic Engineering and GENET; serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Future Farming and Swissaid; and is an Advisory Board member for the Swisscanto-Greeninvest.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@seanoneillsongs]

I found this really interesting. It's over thirty years ago when practicing meditation in my shed, where I also had several bags of spent mushroom compost. These I got from a mushroom producer and with watering, they'd produce another flush or two. On finishing, I was picking a few for breakfast and suddenly wondered if I had the right to pick them and also, why I picked this one and not its neighbour. It stayed in my mind and before long, I wrote a poem which, for me at least, explained the connection of everything. Which mushroom did you pick today? The ones that gave themselves away. And how did you know which they were? I didn't, they knew me.

[@shadaj]

I think all living things deserve respect for the dignity of life within them. Until life, itself can be defined, can we ever fully understand the processes going on in our universe. One thing for sure, though, it is all interconnected. Whether physical or etheric, animate or inanimate, all things are connected and it seems by design. The fact that we exist at all, with such structure, and are aware of it is mind-boggling to me.

[@friendlyanalyst273]

Another nice little presentation for sharing this big field of science with people. It's funny to see people mocking this info because their informational systems simply don't inform them of the hard evidence that exists in this domain, and then media selectivity bias kicks in and they look for views that contradict this info and think they have "done research and determined what's true." Meanwhile there is a whole other layer of steps involved that people who analyze the researchers and their informational systems have to do before we achieve something close to certainty. Keep an open mind, and don't be so insecure thinking you might "fool yourself with hopeful notions" that you fool yourself into thinking that scientists are automatically fooling themselves if they share ideas that sound "too magical and cool to be true."

[@AtypicalPaul]

So awesome. Love plants and science. I've been researching about plants for years and its so mind boggling how similar we are to them. Many humans have too much ego in my opinion and see themselves apart from nature. We are all in this together and would love to see us coexist more

[@brattymonkey7450]

A couldn't agree with you more! We are connected to nature or at least we are suppose to be. I think people think we are so much better, smarter and more important than nature.. which is so egotistical and false it's either insane or comical depending on how you look at it. I think people's lack of connection when nature is part of the reason people are depressed and lost. The native Americans call this lack of connection watigo.

[@douglaspinsak1246]

When I was about 15 I swung a golf club into a tree to be destructive, and a chunk flew out and hit me in the eye. I always felt like that was not a coincidence.

[@jaqdelacruz3247]

I love this video! I am not a vegetarian but I love how this talks about giving more value in life, even with these little lives most of us doesn't give time to be bothered to think about, this little lives which have fed us all our lives.

[@ashleydaniels2717]

This was incredibly fascinating. Thank you.

[@Cat-ik1wo]

Yes, I love plants. Becauae I know, they know, yes, they know. They have their own language. But people can understand their language thru their emotions. I love them so much. I understand them.

[@nehemiah7914]

I love how at the end she pats the tomato plant on the head like "Good girl!" ^_^

[@pattyla1732]

Sounds like Native American Culture was ahead of our time. Should have respected and learned from them.

[@joalexsg9741]

One of the most fascinating lectures ever, one of the truly brilliant scientists in this new field which has been criticized by the narrow-minded pseudo-scientists. As always, the avant-garde ones will make history!

[@aldobertozzi-sibler843]

Die unermüdliche Vorkämpferin Florianne Koechlin! Bewundernswert für ihre langjährige, unerschrockene Standhaftigkeit. Chapeau! "Good girl"!

[@GaryDuell]

I doubt any of her critics have read "Finding the Mother Tree". Her science was rigorous and met all the requirements.

[@AndrezCS2D]

This blowed my mind. Great

[@skingk2632]

Blew, not blowed. Assuming you weren't joking.

[@Fuar11]

Robert J It blew his mind so much that his ability to spell got messed up.

[@steveunderhill5935]

My tomato think(s)mells English is not Andréz first language. 🍅

[@spontanp]

I admire this.

[@ellesunshine5597]

And yet still no Nobel Peace Prize for Paul Stamets 🍄

[@saturndirect8085]

YES

[@Rex-ordos]

You mean Cleve Backster? He single handedly showed this in the 60s

[@monkey_gamer9408]

Plants may be able to feel and react to stimuli and communicate between themselves like animals do but do they have the capacity to feel emotion and form bonds as us humans and and other vertebrae do. This is my major reservation on the claim that plants have similar consciousness to humans and therefor should have dignity

[@BuddhaLove77]

Monkey_Gamer I respect your post but isn’t the underlying assumptions that you posit anthropomorphic in nature? We say we define reality and then say to have interactions like our own is to be communal or conscious and not look at things as they are which may be just as functional and developmental as our own.

[@BuddhaLove77]

@Steven Thompson We must love at the end of the day... New Culture of Peace & Love.... Now !

[@iggybarrato9009]

Thank you for this video. This makes it more difficult to understand the use of insecticides. This also explains my peaceful walks in forests,woods,parks and gardens because i get a feeling as if I am in a church or a library, probably all nature communicating knowledge to me. I feel blessed.Interesting that some people call me Ig!

[@vegangelo_29]

What a good committee from the Swiss government! I hope all countries would also have that type of ethics committee for non-human living organisms. Also, I love that their constitution cares for other living organism and pushes respect for them.

[@karlpages1970]

Thanks for the vid :-) Nice talk about sensing connectivity awareness...Considering this subject also nurtures self awareness. Connectivity is great in all aspects.. AI, biology and physics..

[@jungletheme2094]

I hope for a government that is progressive enough to ask ourslves what the definition of plant dignity should be. Xx

[@22emmet7]

Thank you,,,,I understand plants and nature,,,

[@lialialia9647]

Whispering of fragrances! That's so cool. I'm smelling someone's conversation

[@moofymoo]

Design must be simple. Elegant. Implementation, less so. Sequences must change. Intent static, product fluid. Always can improve. Stressers reveal flaws. Flaws reveal potential. Always improving. Good. -- Abathur

[@AshutoshSingh-on8zt]

An Ignoble will make the way for a Nobel Prize. Amazing to note, one section of humanity is evolved enough to consider applying conduct of dignity in our dealing with plants. Another section thinks the line of thought is a big joke.

[@noras2493]

Now I feel bad about eating plants Really interesting and cool talk- I'll think about this every time I look at a plant!

[@__-cd9ug]

But if you can't morally be vegan, what will you eat then ? dirt ? dirt's live matter

[@noras2493]

I can't eat air either- there's microbes floating around! o_o

[@hamletfisherman5740]

When do you eat plants? You do know that fruits and vegetables are given by plants so we can disperse their seeds right?

[@hamletfisherman5740]

***** You are so thick lol Of course I don't do that. I meant plants give them, just to show how dumb is the idea of them being hurt by it. The fact that I do or do not disperse their seeds is meaningless, as 1. Plants would not know, 2. Plants would not care, 3. Plants would not even be able to know or to care. Lol

[@__-cd9ug]

Samsara Moriarty Moriartyyyyyyyyy

[@rineric3214]

Excellent speech!!

[@basilcomitis7126]

Awesome video, thank you.

[@ThomasRippel]

Gratuliere zu dem wunderbaren Talk! Faszinierend :-)

[@gamtngirl3655]

A woman and a concept ahead of their time. The time will come when what she said is a given, but sadly, not yet. Another proof that we are all connected - and by a vast, overarching intelligence.

[@loganlion6314]

Don’t feel bad tomatoes, I don’t like Chanel scents either. My eldest sister wears it all the time. Burns my eyes and lungs 😂

[@BeautifulMindSoul-ms5nj]

So good I had to watch 2x and counting ! Anyone know another speaker who has similar videos ?

[@fabianmachicao9505]

Bellísimo!

[@KrishnanUnni]

Inspiring

[@prettypumpkin6891]

Just WOW!

[@debrapaulino918]

❤💯

[@deschampagnespourlavie5372]

How is it possible to get subtitled in French langage ? Thank you !!

[@joycebellucci2726]

Brava!

[@manjulasaxena4784]

DNA of the spirit by Raechandran and Robert Pollock proves this too

[@sharryhope4724]

BRAVO 👏 👏 👏

[@VIGNESHvicky-rd8je]

Amazing

[@deannford4742]

Well it made me think. Adam in the garden, growing a garden, tending to "weeds", interference before the plant can take care of itself, consideration of insects, beneficial and non beneficial, the quality of fruit borne and how nutrious/nutrient-lacking fruit can be based on the tending.

[@stevenhillas6812]

Just great

[@sadhanasadhana4648]

EXTRAORDINARY

[@cheliae8560]

The Healy Resonance - a frequency program device. It does an Aura Analysis for plants and animals too.

[@prettyprudent5779]

All living things are Sentient. Clearly.

[@emisode]

I agree with all!

[@2to253]

Plant defence... Well, maybe.... Is that why one's more prone to a heart failure if one's taken up gardening...? Is that the way weeds take to defend themselves?

[@kennethbynum4253]

my county agent registered my hardwood forest, both arborday and americanforest informed us they had no records of anyone else actually planting an extensive hardwood forest, i keep it academic only, you can see on facebook

[@tr7zg.v69]

drinking black tea while watching this... :D

[@karekure]

You monster XD

[@theadventurousallotmenteer6582]

Of course, I don't think few missing leaves are going to inconvenience the plant too much, as opposed to chopping the entire above ground plant off or ripping it out of the ground..

[@urshgeissbuehler]

great speech of Florianne...

[@ultimatespider-man6405]

🌴🌴🌴🌴💓

[@luciddreams6210]

Seems they have a lot more dignity than we do.

[@shotglass512]

🌱🌎🤟❤

[@veselatanaskovic7638]

Brilliant!

[@jennybailey2998]

Fascinating, I'll have ask my chilli plants, get their & opinion!

[@unit0-166]

Get their and opinion? The fuck?

[@johnwilson3740]

I hope it doesn't end up in a 'heated' argument. : )

[@filgemuzic]

Indigenious people all over the world knew this its only Europeans or their decendants who are new to this knowledge.

[@beefy32]

Looks like we cannot eat meat or plants so better become breatharians!

[@lll9409]

Fruits?

[@christineh9366]

our Swiss Bruce Lipton!

[@jenzuleta2978]

What do we eat?

[@jliz6435]

Now what vegans ?

[@krishnakumarram3536]

haha

[@nymm2505]

MEAT-eaters cause more deaths among plants than vegans do

[@perryschnabel]

Rest of word: holocene Swizerland: no thank you

[@semhersken6426]

Nerde bunun turkce alt yazisi be kardesim

[@GuerrillaFarmer]

Eat life to be alive...

[@ultimatespider-man6405]

waaw

[@pambennett8967]

This is not ridiculous

[@bs6938]

"Ground control to Major Tom'ato.....

[@mkhosono1741]

oh no! What are vegans supposed to be now? Nutans?

[@johnboykin3128]

When vegans approach a plant, the plant emits a scent to attract Republicans

[@lorrainemagarian7697]

GOD made us stewards (caretakers) of the earth. Very interesting presentation on plants - another reason to glorify our Creator GOD and His infinite intelligence!

[@prettyprudent5779]

You might want to put the fairytales aside, and Learn some evolutionary Science.

[@huh9412]

Save the trees eat a vegetarian

[@JuanFecit]

+Alekos Tsiam : "Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 91% of Amazon destruction." See Cowspiracy facts and "Livestock's long shadow" from FAO.

[@hamletfisherman5740]

Quite hypocritical lol A meat and plant eater trying to shame vegetarians. Also, plants can't feel pain, nor think, nor be conscious. How come meat eaters are so dumb?

[@huh9412]

It was a joke...

[@yaqarianfanashira]

+Samsara Moriarty New studies show that plants are a blend to feel, have memories, and definitely feel pain.

[@yaqarianfanashira]

I mean that plants are able, not a blend lol

[@yaguarnecro]

im going to cut my french marigolds, i feel betrayed by them.

[@thekrrib]

Plants naturally shed, so don't feel bad. If you feel that a plant is betraying you, may I suggest therapy.

[@MusikCabaret]

"plants are not passive"you must call a sloth Hyperactive then.

[@__-cd9ug]

ha. funny because sloths are slow.

[@yvonnethompson844]

passive implies a lack of action, and they certainly act. they push eachother, they stretch out, they have a circadian rhythm, they are far from being a thing that just sits there.. their roots are constantly growing, stretching for more, the sap is constantly flowing through the trees, and as the presentor states, they have an electrochemical language. it's been known for years, they send out a signal to their neighbors to fend off further infections.. it's like the warning your coworkers about a head cold... only with smells.

[@nickcisneros5077]

The small switch inevitably happen because sound progressively curve vice a agreeable room. overconfident, supreme impulse

[@TVSinau]

its already told at Qur'an thousand years ago ,that all things in the universe have their way to communicate but we don't know yet how The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory! Verily He is Oft- Forbearing, Most Forgiving! (Al Isra' 44)

[@VinayShekhar]

Supr Yady Yet somehow the dignity of a pig is not recognized by the practitioners of the religion, huh.

[@harrissbisby903]

@KatBird27 I assume he means that Islam views pigs as unclean and lesser then other animals. That is why Islam forbids pork products, not so much compassion for the pigs. On the other hand, Islam does have a lot of guidelines about the treatment of Animals, it's just that none of them says that you can't eat animals.

[@user-fs6zl9uz3f]

Not eating pigs IS compassion for pigs.

[@WalterTonetto]

Hahahahahahaha ... you’re missing the point entirely.

[@TheHolisticVegan]

Watch the video 'plants are sentient' on my channel. This research supports my argument.

[@robiulahmed]

Vegans getting triggered!

[@prettyprudent5779]

Vegans generally have no regard for the intelligence/sentience of plants-because it’s all they have left to eat.

[@robiulahmed]

@@prettyprudent5779 Yep, absolutely. Although, to be fair, fruit would still be good to eat, since it aids the plant with seed dispersal. Having said that, most vegans are science deniers.

[@psyberklown3434]

So anyvays dat is how I lost my medical license.

[@sanjayjogdand9102]

No need to have complicatef researches! Just go through indian old literature and you will find all the wisdom!!( krushiparaashar especially!)

[@anu7982]

Where ?which one ? Interesting ,want to read

[@ValLeeWeblog]

Jesus Christ is the Master Creator of all; Romans 10:9-10 from the Bible: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.”

[@derbozz7105]

Is The talker a Man Ort a women

[@petergriffin9554]

Is it just me or is she smuggling peas under that t-shirt?

[@moofymoo]

shut up Peter, you are no smarter than Meg, or that poor tomato on stage.

[@soupit32]

Peter Griffin just you

[@faraqsa]

Check mate vegan

[@ScammedbyFolrentinaConchas]

Vegans WOKE?

[@aaronkolatch5211]

Is that a man or a woman?

[@evaroig134]

Could you please add Spanish subtitles to the tedtalks? 🥲