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Health & Science4h 1m ago
Scientists have now found the physical mechanism behind the snapping action of Venus flytraps, which involves a rapid softening of the cell walls in the plant’s outer layer.
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Paris, Marseille, North Carolina, South Carolina
Who
physicist Yoël Forterre, physicist Jeongeun Ryu
What
Scientists have now found the physical mechanism behind the snapping action of Venus flytraps, which involves a rapid softening of the cell walls in the plant’s outer layer.
When
Fri, 12 Jun 2026 01:28:46 GMT · 4h 1m ago
Where
Paris, Marseille, North Carolina, South Carolina ·
Why
The Venus flytrap uses specialised trigger hairs to detect insects, leading to the rapid softening of cell walls and subsequent closure of the trap to digest prey.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This discovery settles a scientific question dating back to Charles Darwin regarding one of the fastest movements in the plant kingdom, potentially inspiring new designs for soft robots or smart materials by demonstrating a unique biological mechanism for rapid material stiffness tuning.
Story chain
4 events in this thread- Health & Science4h 1m agoScientists have found the physical mechanism behind the snapping action of Venus flytraps, initiating closure by rapid softening of cell walls in the outer layer of the plant’s trap.Open article
- Currently Reading4h 1m agoScientists have now found the physical mechanism behind the snapping action of Venus flytraps, which involves a rapid softening of the cell walls in the plant’s outer layer.
- Health & Science4h 1m agoScientists have found the physical mechanism behind the snapping action of Venus flytraps, attributing it to a rapid softening of cell walls in the plant's outer layer.Open article
- Health & Science4h 1m agoScientists have discovered that the Venus flytrap’s closure is initiated by a rapid softening of cell walls in the outer layer of the plant’s trap, rather than rapid water redistribution.Open article