MIT researchers discovered that the sound of falling droplets can shake rice seeds out of a dormant state, stimulating them to germinate more quickly than seeds that are not exposed to the same sound vibrations.

The team’s findings, which are published today in the journal Scientific Reports, are the first direct evidence that plant seeds and seedlings can sense sounds in nature. Their experiments involved rice seeds that they submerged in shallow water. Rice can germinate in both soil and shallow water. The researchers suspect that many similar seed types may also respond to the sound of rain.

The study: Seeds accelerate germination at beneficial planting depths by sensing the sound of rain