Trees are TREEMENDOUS. This we know, BUT did you know these 7 AMAZING facts about trees?
Some of them are pretty out there.
It's totally TRUE! Phytoncides are an essential oil emitted by trees. Phytoncide oils protect trees from their natural enemies. However, as trees do, they offer these same benefits to us. When humans inhale this oil, our physiological response is to relax. Bodies and minds destress when we breathe in these life-giving chemicals. (iTrees.com. Forest Bathing 101: How Trees Make Us Happier. 2 Jan 2023.)
Yep. You read that right. Trees have indeed flown to the moon. During the Apollo 14 space mission, hundreds of tree seeds made the trip and safely returned to earth. Only to later be germinated by the US Forest Service and planted throughout the US as part of the nation's bicentennial celebration in 1976. (NASA. The Moon Trees. 16 Dec 2022.)
Have you ever heard of a Bristlecone Pine tree? The oldest living organism, a Bristlecone Pine tree, lives in the US. Scientists have concluded that this living pine tree is about 5,000 years old. That is older than any other living organism known to man. (US Department of Agriculture. Methuselah, a Bristlecone Pine is Thought to Be the Oldest Living Organism on Earth. 29 June 2022.)
Or something as similar to the internet as they can get. An intricate underground system built of fungi transmits information from one tree to the other through the tree's roots. This system is chock full of information, from survival and growth to behavior... and more. (Let's Talk Science. Talking Trees: How do Trees Communicate. 23 July 2019.)
Taking walks in the woods can be relaxing and calming. That is until you've stepped off the path. Suddenly you're lost. Don't despair! TREES are here! Gain your bearings and find your true north with the help of TREES. In the northern hemisphere, the northern side of trees is more likely to have moss growing on them. See moss? You can bet that it's pointing you north. (Popular Science. How to Find Your Way Out of the Woods Without Tools— Or Your Phone. 30 June 2018.)
A fully mature oak tree is a guzzler of a tree (a term we just made up). These big guys absorb water at ASTRONOMICAL rates. In one year, the transpiration rate is about 40,000 gallons of water. Averaging out to around 100 gallons per day. (Treehugger.com. 15 Astounding Facts About Trees. 14 June 2022.)
Long-living trees record hundreds of years, sometimes thousands of years of growth, and climate change. A tree's rings show yearly growth. One light ring and one dark ring represent one year of growth. Light rings are spring to early summer growth, while dark rings are growth that occurs in late summer and fall.
The tree rings also represent the wet and dry seasons. For example, thicker rings mean it was a warm wetter year, whereas thin rings represent less growth during a cold, dry year. Some years, it may show little to no tree growth at all. Also, tree rings document catastrophic weather such as drought, flooding, and volcanic or seismic events.
Tree rings offer scientists data about tree growth and climate changes long before the National Weather Service began keeping a record. Tree rings are critical data for past record keeping but also to help predict future climate changes. (NASA. Tree Rings Provide Snapshots of Earth's Past Climate. 25 Jan 2017.)
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