What you just heard is the sound made by plants when they’re stressed, like during dehydration or damage.
While these ultrasonic popping or clicking noises are beyond human hearing, they can be detected within a meter and vary depending on the plant’s condition. Researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered that plants like tomato, tobacco, wheat, and corn produce these sounds, especially when deprived of water, even before visible signs of stress appear.
The team is now exploring whether other organisms can respond to these sounds and how humans might use this discovery to monitor plant health, addressing water needs more effectively.