Many vegetarians choose to eat an animal-free diet because they believe cows, hogs, chickens and goats have the same desire for life as humans. An op-ed in the New York Times might give these vegetarian eaters pause. The author, Natalie Angier, suggests that vegetables have feelings, too.

To support her argument, Angier spoke to UC Riverside genetics professor Linda Walling. Walling said plants can’t run away from a threat, but they are good at avoiding being eaten. But she wasn't talking about their ability to avoid being eaten by humans.

"It’s an unusual situation...