Plants

This is an enlightening book detailing the latest research on plant 'intelligence' or 'consciousness', although even among researchers there is still much disagreement on what terms to use to describe what they are discovering. That is, what word best describes the ability of plants to 'hear' the specific sounds of caterpillars muching on their leaves and respond appropriately with specific chemical insecticides to deter them? Or of the ability of common tomato plants to produce a chemical that can literally make caterpillars stop eating their leaves and start eating one another? Or the ability of some plants to recognize plants of their own genetic relation and so not grow their roots towards them in order to share resources while not doing that with unrelated plants? The list of 'intelligent' behavior is expanding as researchers continue to investigate, with more and more evidence accumulating to vindicate what I called 'sentience' among plants in Anti-Clock. For decades scientists were hesitant to study such things because of bias and fear of losing grants; such research is too borderline from the 'hard' sciences and open to mystical interpretation. But things have opened up in recent years and some of the discoveries are remarkable. Did you know that common ferns reproduce through spores that develop into a a tiny plant called a gametophyte, where the male reproductive structures on that plant produce sperm that swim in the moisture towards the female structure. So this book details all manner of new research about plants,which predate human beings by hundreds of millions of years and without which we would not exist.

Meanwhile

"On April 13, 2029, Apophis will pass within 19,794 miles (31,860 kilometers) of Earth's surface. This will be the closest approach to Earth by an asteroid of this size that scientists have known about in advance." While we are all hyper distracted by this and that on Earth, nature keeps reminding us that something could blind side us when most of us aren't looking. Of course, some people are looking, so astronomers discovered this 1,100 foot asteroid in 2004, and for awhile there was genuine concern that it might stike Earth with enough force to flatten a city. More precise calculations have reassured them-and everyone paying attention-that it will miss in 2029 and again in subsequent passes over the next 100 years. An asteroid of this size is estimated to strike the planet every 80,000 years. Personally, I am always oddly reassured by reminders that nature still dominates humanity despite our arrogance and hubris. Looking at the stars still humbles me to our insignificance within the Universe, and to the fragility of Earth and all of life living on it. While we argue and whine about political and religious and economic disagreements, the clock keeps ticking and the Universe keeps evolving. But 20,000 miles is pretty close-closer than some satellites orbit- and we will dodge a bullet this time; the math assures us; science assures us. A 1,100 foot asteroid is survivable unless you are directly under its impact zone. It would leave a crater some 3 miles wide and a damage radius of about 50 miles.Possibly we could attempt a deflection of a large

asteroid if there is the political will, and studying the 2029 trajectory of Apophis will more accurately determine its very unlikely chance of a 2068 impact. So life goes on within us and without us, as it has always done, and I have no doubt that life in some form will outlive us; the microbes that dominated for 3 billion years will dominate again. (...this is a photo of Apophis, named after a 'god of darkness/chaos' in Egyptian mythology)