The Light Eaters

The New Science of Plant Intelligence

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About this listen

'teeming with fascinating and enlightening insights' OBSERVER

‘Plant lovers will find much of interest in Schlanger’s inspiring tale of where her curious mind has led her’ NATURE

‘Captivating’ THE GUARDIAN

‘It’s rare that you read a book that makes you want to grab people to tell them what it’s about, but this is one of them’ DAILY MAIL

Look at the green organism across the room or through the window: the potted plant, or the grass or a tree. Think how a life spent constantly growing yet rooted in a single spot comes with tremendous challenges. To meet them, plants have come up with some of the most creative methods for surviving of any living thing – us included. Many are so ingenious that they seem nearly impossible.

Did you know plants can communicate when they are being eaten, allowing nearby plants to bolster their defences? They move and that movement stops when they are anaesthetised. They also use electricity for internal communication. They can hear the sounds of caterpillars eating. Plants can remember the last time they have been visited by a bee and how many times they have been visited – so they have a concept of time and can count. Plants can not only communicate with each other, they can also communicate with other species of plants and animals, allowing them to manipulate animals to defend or fertilise them.

So look again at the potted plant, or the grass or the tree and wonder: are plants intelligent?

Or perhaps ask an even more fundamental question: are they conscious?

The Light Eaters will completely redefine how you think about plants. Packed with the most amazing stories of the life of plants it will open your eyes to the extraordinary green life forms we share the planet with.

Biological Sciences

Biology

Botany & Plants

Ecology

Evolution

Evolution & Genetics

Nature & Ecology

Outdoors & Nature

Science

Biological Sciences Biology Botany & Plants Ecology Evolution Evolution & Genetics Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science

Critic reviews

"A stunning book … will transform how you see not only plants but the nature of all life." SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

"A masterpiece of science writing.” Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass

“Mesmerizing, world-expanding, and achingly beautiful.” Ed Yong, author of An Immense World

“Rich, vital, and full of surprises. Read it!” Elizabeth Kolbert, author of Under a White Sky and The Sixth Extinction

"overflows with the author’s infectious enthusiasm. Plant lovers will find much of interest" Nature

“To read The Light Eaters is to be astounded by the complex behaviors of these ostensibly lower life-forms. Fertilize your brain with The Light Eaters and you’ll never look at your favorite, or least favorite, plants the same.” Wall Street Journal

“Schlanger's captivating exploration renders a rich world of plants: weird fern sex, sagebrush chemical communication, scientific debates on flora intelligence, and more.” Vanity Fair

“…Schlanger reminds us of a common truth that we tend to take for granted: plants are remarkable … a surprising and tender book of science writing that urges us all to reconsider how we think about the greenery that lives both in our homes and outside of them.” TIME, The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2024

“… looks beyond the leaves and branches to how our verdant neighbors perceive our world, offering a plant’s eye view of life… . [The Light Eaters] shines.” Smithsonian magazine, “The Ten Best Science Books of 2024”

“The human mind will boggle at least once per page.” Boston Globe, 75 Best Books of 2024

"The vegetable kingdom is full of wonders and mysteries, as Schlanger lavishly demonstrates." Slate

“Zoë Schlanger takes us across the globe, digging into her own memories and into the soil with the scientists who have spent their waking days studying these amazing entities up close.” New York Public Library, “Best Books for Adults 2024”

Most relevant

If plants can plan, communicate, see, solve problems, impersonate others, make predictions, and exhibit parental care then maybe they deserve more respect.