How roots find their way to water. Plants use their roots to search for water. While the main root digs downwards, a large number of fine lateral roots explore the soil on all sides. Interestingly, lateral roots appear to already 'know' very early on where they can find water. Source 1o.
The plants are technically 'living' despite not being able to move as quickly as animals. Even down to the roots they eventually travel their way to collect as much resources as possible for their future growth. The most patient living beings I must say for sure!
The hidden dance of roots revealed. New time-lapse videos capture something that's too slow for our eyes to see: the growing tips of plant roots make corkscrew-like motions, waggling and winding in a helical path as they burrow into the soil. By using time-lapse footage, along with a root-like robot to test ideas, researchers have gained new insights into how and why rice root tips twirl as they grow. Source 8b.