Plants too can Feel
Plants too can Feel
Dr. J.C.Bose was a great biologist. He showed that plants, too, can feel. Jagadish Chandra Bose was the son of Bhagawan Chandra Bose and Abala Bose. Bhagawan Chandra was a judge by profession, an educator, and also a lover of Science and Scientific research. Abala Bose was a tender-hearted woman.
J.C.Bose was first sent to a school where children were taught in Bengali. He was made to mix freely with poor boys and play with them. J.C.Bose, even as a boy, was very much interested in many things. He wanted to know about many things. What is a glow-worm? Why does wind blow and water for? He used to breed frogs and fish in a pond. He would put out a germinating plant and observe the root system. He also had a number of pets – rats, squirrels, and non-poisonous snakes.
J.C.Bose had a servant, who used to tell him stories of heroic adventures. Abala Bose would tell him stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. J.C.Bose loved and respected our ancient Indian culture.
J.C.Bose was sent to England for higher education. He returned to India and joined the presidency college in Calcutta. J.C.Bose worked hard and saved money to build a laboratory of his own for research. He made his own equipment for his research.
Electricity was his special subject. He showed, by means of experiments, that when electricity is passed through a plant, it gets excited or irritated. He made an instrument to show the reaction of the plant to electricity.
J.C.Bose was invited by the Royal Society to explain his theories. He showed that when poison is injected into a plant, it, too, suffers and finally dies. He also explained why some plants grow straight and some do not. Bose made instruments to observe the response of a plant to touch. In those days, nobody would imagine that an Indian scientist could invent and design delicate instruments. Bose explained that plants have a thirst for light and so, they open and close with the rise and fall of temperature.
J.C.Bose demonstrated that plants can take water even without roots. He described that the cells of plants expand and contract like the human heart.
When questioned by the westerners, Bose would say, “The sages of India knew all this long ago. Did they not believe in the unity of life?” He also showed how even a blade gets fatigued after repeated use.
J.C.Bose was very much loved and admired by Tagore and Vivekananda. Before his death, he fulfilled his one desire. He built a research institute and inspired many young men to do research in Science. J.C.Bose gave many lectures in foreign countries, wrote many papers, invented and made a great number of instruments.
Questions :
- Write what you know about J.C.Bose’s father.
- What was the subject of special interest?
- Write down all that he believed and demonstrated about plants.
[Source – Stories for Children – II, Published by – Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, Prashanti Nilayam]