Visitors will be able to participate in the classic science experiment where two identical tomato plants live or die based on our positive or negative thoughts.
This telepathic struggle will be accompanied by a performance lecture exploring plants’ roles as purveyors of knowledge, from Moses’ consultation with a burning bush to the Pentagon’s recent development of “sentinel plants”.
Kate Hartman, Kati London, Rebecca Bray, Rob Faludi will present “Botanicalls”, a system that allows plants to place phone calls to people when they need help. Each plant has a different voice, and will call when in need water or light. They also make calls to thank you for watering them.
Denise King will display a small greenhouse filled with “shy” plants, aka Mimosa pudica. These plants intrigued Charles Darwin who studied their seismonastic movements (their ability to move rapidly in response to touch, electricity and heat.) Often marketed as ‘novelty’ plants that are fun for kids, they are still the subject of current research on their special method of movement.
Marc Herbst will present the Plant Media Project, which does advertising for the Plant Media Network, the only news channel broadcast and distributed by plants.
Molly Frances, author of Arthur Magazine’s New Herbalist column, will have a potions corner where magical herbal elixirs, balmy tonics, sweet nervines, or simply tea will be shared with all.
