Do Plants Cry? The Strange Case of Cutting a Tree in a Microwave

When we talk about living beings crying, we often imagine humans or animals shedding tears. But what about plants? Scientists have discovered that plants, too, have their own way of “crying”—not with water droplets rolling down leaves, but with invisible chemical and sound signals.

Plants Do Feel Stress

Although plants don’t have nerves or brains, they respond to stress. When a tree branch is cut, or a plant is injured, it releases certain chemicals (like ethylene) and even makes tiny ultrasonic sounds. These sounds are too high-pitched for human ears, but researchers have recorded them. In a way, this can be considered the plant’s way of “crying out” for help or signaling danger.

The Microwave Experiment

Now imagine placing a freshly cut branch or small tree inside a microwave. What happens?

As the plant tissue heats rapidly, water inside cells turns to steam.

This causes pressure to build until the cells burst.

If you were to use sensitive microphones, you would hear tiny popping and cracking noises.

These popping sounds are not “tears” like ours, but they are very real stress signals. To a plant, this is like the loudest scream it can make—cells breaking apart under extreme heat.