Wood wide web—the underground network of microbes that connects trees—mapped for first time

Gardening has always been my greatest passion and as many of you gardeners know, the blossom of a sunflower plant will turn from east to west during the day to continually face the sun...which is interesting enough on its own... but what I find truly interesting is that after the sun goes down the plant will turn back towards the east to be ready for the sun coming back up in the morning.

The hallmarks of the human mind is that it relies on a vast network of replicated elements, each one slightly different--cells. And as the brain develops, networks are established that represent a particular impulse/thought. For every cell that functions in one of these neural paths, there are various support cells, glial, pyramidal, etc...

One of the most common cells in the brain is called a... dendrite (tree) because it has branches on either end that look like branches or roots....

A tree forest is a vast group of similar elements that can interact with each other. Maybe that's what you need for consciousness.

Just like a Storm cell cloud formation generates huge electrical discharges that pulse hundreds of miles in an instant, almost like neural networks firing.

human consciousness is recognized on the macro level of cells interacting. Maybe in other parts of nature, giant networks are interacting that we do not perceive...

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

The really amazing thing is this network allows trees to literally communicate with eachother through nutrients. It can receive signals that some trees in a network are low on a particular resource and send it in its direction, or realise the soil it is in has a glut of another resource and send it outwards.


We should probably think of a forest as one organism rather than a community.

Cool , the earth can be replicated on a small scale.

And all tress and plants have a root system. So this shouldn't be that big of surprise.

Small amounts of electricity running through trees as well.


Much more than meets the eye

a reply to: MissSmartypants

Studies have shown that plants show reactions to human emotions like love and anger, and they respond to them. Plant are conscious, how conscious.... Nobody knows.

Love this thread. For those who haven't seen already there's a really good discussion between Paul Stamets and Joe Rogan on this subject. I couldn't believe how interesting this whole field of science is.

Must watch

Very interesting! I think i read this article once about microbes and wildflowers. It was so fascinating and inspirations. Recently found it again!