Science Cabaret! Twist and Sprout: Revealing plant awareness

As a group, plants are among the slowest forms of life. With their barely
perceptible movements, plants merit little notice for most humans. With
industrialized agriculture, increasing urbanization, the availability of
realistic-looking artificial plants that do not require human interaction,
and a world that is moving at an ever-increasing pace, we are becoming
further removed from the rhythms of plants. As a consequence, plants are
receding in our consciousness and tend to be regarded as little more than
ornamental objects.

Dr. Hangarter has used time-lapse technology to translate the timescale of
plants into one more familiar to us, allowing us to witness how keenly
aware plants are of their environment throughout their life as they
respond to various stimuli. The sense of the intrigue and mystery
time-lapse imaging reveals also enhances our own awareness of plant life
and provides an opportunity to reflect on our relationship to plants and
our environment.

When: Tuesday, November 14th, 2006 @ 7:00pm*
Where: The Lost Dog Lounge, 112 Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY
Speaker: Dr. Roger Hangarter, Professor, Department of Biology, Indiana
University
How Much: Free and open to the public!
More Information: 254-8531 or www.sciencecabaret.org

*Due to strict fire code regulations, attendance is limited. Please arrive
early. Thank you.


Plants are alive. This is obvious - or is it?

About Science Cabaret: Ithaca's Science Cabaret was inspired by the Café
Scientifique movement ( http://www.cafescientifique.org/), which started in
Europe in the late 1990s and has spread rapidly. Cafes Scientifiques
promote public engagement with science by eschewing a lecture format in
favor of informal talks on topics of broad interest, which are used as a
jumping-off point for group discussion. Sessions usually take place once
a month in social venues such as cafes or pubs.
Ithaca's Science Cabaret is sponsored by the Boyce Thompson Institute for
Plant Research ( www.bti.cornell.edu), a world leader in plant biology.
For more information, email sciencecafe@cornell.edu.