Amazing: Science writer explains why does the touch-me-not shrink when touched?

New Delhi, Nov 20: Ever touched 'Touch-Me-Not plant' and marvelled at its leaves instantaneously folding? A Science writer on Twitter offered a possible explanation for this and it has gone viral on social media attractive response from nature lovers.

The videos showed how the plant's electrical impulses get generated and its leaves fold due to the presence of an insect on it.

''Ever touched a sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) and marvelled at its leaves instantaneously folding? In this video you can see the electrical signals that mediate that rapid movement surging down the plant in real-time,'' Ferris Jabr tweeted.

"Exactly why Mimosa pudica and other plants fold their leaves is not definitively known. Hypotheses include reducing water loss, exposing thorns, startling insects, and giving the appearance of a less voluminous meal. Here, M. pudica folds in response to a munching grasshopper", he added.

"Although plants don't have neurons or muscles, they are electric-all cellular organisms are. Plants can generate waves of charged particles that travel quickly from one part of their body to another and trigger quick movements", he further said.

''Marvelous nature,'' a Twitter user commented.

"They may not have brains but they do communicate and send electrical signals look at this," another wrote.

"Thanks for sharing this beautiful work! As a kid, I used to play all the time with these intriguing plants. In Venezuela we called them 'dormideras', which translates something like 'sleepy plant'," third user commented.