Disco Tree is an audio-visual exploration of plant life as a sound-responsive organism, inspired by research on the ability of plant roots to locate a water source by sensing its sound vibrations.¹ Using JavaScript, Juliana programmed image colors and wave movements to respond to changes in amplitude of two audio tracks: a recording of rain moving through pipes, and the song “Void” by Seekae.  

Juliana created Disco Tree during the “Intro to Programming” week. With no prior experience coding, this project allowed her to learn the basics of the JS coding language, while also permitting a deeper exploration of plant cognition and sound.

¹Gagliano, M., Grimonprez, M., Depczynski, M. et al., “Tuned In: Plants Roots Use Sound to Locate Water,” Oecologia (2017) 184: 151.