I came across another example of science telling us what many people have known intuitively for years. Neuroscientists have found that soil bacteria increase seretonin levels in mice and rats.
Aparently mice seretonin levels are tested by getting the mice to swim. Under the influence of antidepressents mice can swim longer before passivly floating. After the exposure to the bacteria from injection mice swam as long as mice given selective seretonin re-uptake inhibitors, common anti-depressants. The bacteria “had the exact same effect as antidepressant drugs,” explains ((Lowery)).
This means that exposure to these bacteria in humans from activites such as gardening, playing in the dirt, tree planting or even sitting outside on the earth may lead to similar elevation in happiness through a similar mechanism.
If there was going to be a language which we could use to communicate more effectivly with other species on the earth, it would be the chemical language. This lingo is already in use between millions of species already living on the earth.
For example, when plants want to form a symbiosis (mutually beneficial relationship) with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria (plant nutrient producers) the plant sends chemical signals through the soil that the bacteria recognise. They then respond with a differnt signal that causes the plant to let its immune system let them pass as they establish root nodules to live in. This cross-species communication is extreamly effective. Plants that form this symbiosis include Acacia (wattles), peas, beans and other legumes.
This plant signalling phenomena is not just found in the soil. Plants release heaps of chemical compounds known as VOCs. Volitile Organic Compounds. This is basically science speak for natural compounds that you can smell because they disperse into the air. Think of the smell of cut grass or rosemary or walking through a gum forest or across a hot arid mallee. This sea of chemicals in the air then leads to some very interesting ecosystem happenings. In certain plants, botanists have observed that when under caterpilliar attack the plant emits certain volitile organic compounds. These are then detected by a predatory wasp which goes to the plant and eats the catapillars.
It is foolish to presume that plants are not interacting with all organisms that they function with. Why would we be excluded from this sea of communication? Well, we are not. From fruit color to flower scents to perfumes to flavours to medicines and drugs plants connect with us in order to generate and potentiate beneficial relationships. This has often been written off as not possible becuase plants are too simple but the picture is changing. More on that next post.
Mahalo
PG
