Scientists Create Cyborg Plant Than Can Move Around

Some scientists have created a “cyborg” plant that will literally drive itself around on a table to find a better source of light.

By nowproducerdave on December 5, 2018
(Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Ok, look, I’m all about science, research, and technology, but I don’t need a plant moving around by itself. Nevertheless, these scientists figured out how to make a “cyborg” plant that can move itself around and find a better light source.

Ok, so plants will naturally sort of lean one way or another to get to some better light. That’s not a new discovery, they’ve been doing it for as long as they’ve been on this planet. But this new plant is on wheels. The plan can apparently control a motor on those wheels, and literally drive itself around. Even more creepy, it has a name – “Elowan.” The name isn’t creepy, but just the fact that a plant that can drive itself around has a name.

So why did they do this? And how did they do this? Well, back to the way plants react to light normally. A plan will actually “sense” a light source, and move itself closer to that light source. These scientists were able to “hack” the plant, and translate its own “signals.” Those converted signals were then interfaced with the power motor and wheels, and boom, suddenly there’s a self-driving plant. There’s a demonstration video, too. Read some more about the plant project over here.

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