Darwin’s Impact

It is impossible not to be struck with the resemblance between the…movements of plants and many of the actions performed unconsciously by the lower animals.

– Charles Darwin
The Power of Movement in Plants, 1880

Darwin’s Observations

Since ancient times, people have noticed that plants grow and bend towards the light, but their movements are actually far more complex. Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) was one of the first scientists to begin systematically studying plant movement.

Several years after developing his theory of evolution, Darwin designed a simple and sensitive method for tracking plant movement over time. His work forever changed the way science examines and interprets plant life.