Photo: Leah Kelley

Can trees feel love?

But do trees have feelings? Trees lack a nervous system, so they can't experience emotions that we feel, like happiness or excitement. Even though trees lack a brain, the fact that electric signals can be fired from within the trees hints at consciousness.

interstem.us - Trees are a little like humans - InterSTEM

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Trees are a little like humans

Peter Bui. 04/03/2021

Whether we go outside or just look through the window, chances are we see trees. Trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen around the world, giving us clean air. But are trees just there, existing? Research shows that trees have (some) feelings of their own and have quite a few human characteristics. The thought of trees having human characteristics is quite surprising and for good reason. Trees have feelings? That’s crazy! But human characteristics aren’t the limit to what trees can do. In fact, research shows that trees can see, feel, scream and cry. Let’s start with the basics. Trees are grown plants, with parts including a trunk, branches, leaves and roots. They, like us, require water and basic needs. A tree takes in water, sunlight and carbon dioxide through a process known as photosynthesis. This process produces glucose, or sugar, which the tree uses for energy, and oxygen as a byproduct (humans then breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide for the tree to use, continuing the cycle). Trees play a big role in our everyday lives at the cost of their own lives (which could span for hundreds or even thousands of years if left undisturbed) because they are used to create paper, furniture, lumber and so much more. However, they prove more useful while they live by cleaning our air and supplying us with many other benefits such as cleaning the environment. Some trees even produce fruit. But do trees have feelings? Trees lack a nervous system, so they can’t experience emotions that we feel, like happiness or excitement. Even though trees lack a brain, the fact that electric signals can be fired from within the trees hints at consciousness. Botanist author Michael Pollan explains that they may have a system that produces neurotransmitters, like serotonin, that the human brain also produces. In addition to this, it has been proved that trees do feel a few emotions. Although they don’t experience feelings while being chopped down, they do not like it. The emotional range of a tree is somewhat limited, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. For instance, they can sense and react to cold, heat, drought, touch and external trouble. When a plant feels that it is too cold, it initiates responses that can help to protect the tree from harm. Trees use their bark to reflect light and disperse heat. To protect themselves from heat, they use their leaves to shade themselves, as well as use conductive and insulative cooling. They sense drought when they do not have enough water to meet their needs, the equivalent of us being thirsty. In this case, they save water and slow down evaporation. In general, plants can feel touch, but it is debated if being touched is beneficial or harmful for the plant. Some studies even show that touch results in stunted growth of the plant. Trees can even sense insects and internally mix chemicals to create compounds that act as repellants. The most human responses that trees can feel are rather sad. This includes trees crying and screaming (when they are cut down). The “tears of trees” can have a double meaning: the liquid tears of a tree or the wailing of the tree. The liquid is produced through a process known as positive root pressure, where the roots take up water to the limbs of the trees in warm weather so that the buds can break. The wailing of the tree is what occurs when the tree is thirsty. When trees lack water, they suffer and make a noise. The noise, however, is ultrasonic, meaning that it is too high-pitched for the human ear to possibly pick up. Trees will also produce ultrasonic noises between 20 and 100 kilohertz when they’re in pain or when they’re scared, such as when they are being cut down.

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Trees, of course, do not have eyes, ears, a mouth or any other means to communicate. But trees can actually see, hear, taste and communicate. The sight of a plant may exist because they grow towards areas with light, meaning that they can sense the light with their leaves. Plants can also hear to the degree that they can even respond to human voices. Trees use their roots to absorb nutrients and to taste. They also have a wide arsenal of ways to communicate with one another, including sending chemical, hormonal and slow-pulsing electrical signals and communicating through the air using scent. Trees even have senses that we lack, such as being able to sense gravitational changes, the presence of water or even a block in their roots. In a way, the needs of a tree are similar to that of a human. Trees need water, food and air. In contrast to humans needing water to use their bodies and excrete waste, trees need water to make their food. As stated, trees use water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and glucose using the equation 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2 where 6 carbon dioxide molecules and 6 water molecules along with sunlight produce glucose (C6H12O6) and 6 oxygen atoms as a waste product. Unlike us, the tree basically inhales carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen, while we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Trees drink water through a natural straw known as their xylem, which brings water to their utmost branches. The anatomy of a tree is similar to human anatomy as well. The arms of a human can be like the branches of a tree. Trees have tree sap that transports nutrients and water through the tree, very much like how blood transports nutrients and water to our entire body. The bronchi in our lungs are also similar to the roots of trees. The leaves of a tree, aside from producing glucose, work as hair for the tree.

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As a recap, trees do not have all human characteristics. In fact, the emotional range of a tree is limited. They may feel pain, but they do not feel regret, happiness, or anything of that sort. However, they do cry and scream, and although seemingly lack the ability to, can see, hear, feel and communicate. Trees have the needs and anatomy of humans in some ways. Globally, trees have many useful aspects such as improving water and air quality, boosting peoples’ health, keeping global warming in check and so much more. Keeping all this in mind, along with the fact that trees are in some ways similar to us, we should love trees more before they’re gone forever.

Cover Photo: (Gamesdash)

interstem.us - Trees are a little like humans - InterSTEM

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