Watching “The Happening” brought up some great conversation about the viability of the plot–can plants attack humans on a grand scale? We’ll look further into that, but they may be able communicate. Scientists feel that the chemistry between plants, root networks, and fungi may, in fact, promote communication in much the same way that neurons promote communication in parts of the human brain. This is much like the biochemical networks in forestry. This is why our forest practices need to pay attention to the ecosystem of the forest, which requires older trees to give resources to the rest of the forest. Instead, humans “cut them down for two-by-fours.”
Could the plants and trees be telling us something? What do you think? Watch this short video and weigh in the comments.
To be honest ever since I was little I thought trees can talk. More so plants in general but; anything is possible. I thought it was cool how she said the fungi is what helps them communicate and basically network between different trees. Probably the plants and trees are telling us something, it wouldn’t be an outrageous thought. Why would it be different from an animal having an odd behavior warning us that something is wrong, cases has shown that animals do that. So why not trees?
I honestly think that this would never be able to happen in real life because plants don’t have the ability to fight back against mankind and develop a evil plan to kill humans… Yes, plants can evolve and change to adapt/survive in the environment that they live in. But all the plants and trees on the earth at the same time can’t do it! They can’t just randomly turn into the bad guys and somehow get our DNA code and then find a way to be smarter than us, and crack it and develop a chemical to kill us all.
Could they develop a self-preservation gene that would do something to us, though? Hmmmm…
i think this movie was not based on real events because i dont think trees have the power to transmit a disease that will kill people
Could neurotoxins ever harm humans large-scale though?
I believe that the movie was not very well based on real events or true facts. It is true that trees can talk to other trees, (communicate) and send warnings but i don’t believe trees would act in violence. Trees are peaceful and produce oxygen for us humans to live not to kill.
How about the trees in LOTR? (lol)
I believe that they should have done more research of the trees in different parts of the earth. there could be trees that pass on more than CO2 between them. Such as a toxin like in the movie. This could lead to such events, but instead come with disease. Another thing is when the trees recieve CO2, will they produce the same amount of oxygen than they normally would? This could also damage the tree or the sorroundings if it happened.
I think there is so much we don’t know about these ecosystems in different parts of the world, and sadly we won’t know if we chop them down.
The fact that this actually raises concern from a poorly made movie astonishes me. Humankind are very much aware of general geology, that a living thing with connected networks of roots among the entire earth may be subject to communicate through some form of biochemistry or signals of some sort. But, to overestimate these shrubs or trees (whatever it may have been) is ridiculous! Plants are comprised of prokaryotic cells that have no nucleus and barely any form of intelligence evolving over millions of years. Defense mechanisms come in forms of thorns, spikes, needles, and abilities to entrap very small victims. Some may very well carry a tangible neurotoxin, but no tree in existence has the self awareness to feel any pain nor emotions nor motor skills, thus feeling no anger towards anything at all. Never mind being sleeper cells to an unknown neurotoxin which forces people to kill themselves in unnatural and gruesome ways. This was the form of a mere theoretical question from a person who thought it would be interesting to see on screen, that’s it.
Interesting…you think that plants cannot by definition be sentient beings?
Exactly, theyre cell structure and DNA just do not have the ability to develop feelings such as empathy, anger, sadness, etc. Neither could they dwell on the topic of dead trees around them. They’re a necessity to this earth, but they are not superior beings in the sense of having the ability to wipe out Humankind
Do you think that you can unequivocally say they are not sentient beings? It’s a subject of interest to many…
well do think that the tree’s are coneted but i don’t belive that the call can be trace back to one tree in the forest. Also if tree’s can do that then why did we just learn about this. Like in the movie if the tree’s do taik to each then they might as well try to kill man kind. we kill millonios of tree’s every year but what if the tree’s are learning to porteck each other
True, when you think of the damage we do to the forest–not always on purpose, like the scientist says, but it’s all connected. Important to note.
Seems a bit odd