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Trees Have Feelings, Make Friends And Look After Each Other Like An Old Couple, Study Finds

“They can feel pain, [and] have emotions, such as fear. Trees like to stand close together and cuddle. They love company and like to take things slow,” – these are just a couple of findings by Peter Wohlleben, a German researcher who devoted his work to studying trees.

“There is in fact friendship among trees,” says Wohlleben. “They can form bonds like an old couple, where one looks after the other. Trees have feelings.”

The new documentary, called ‘Intelligent Trees’, is the work of German forester, author, and tree whisperer Peter Wohlleben, and Suzanne Simard, an ecologist from the University of British Columbia. Watch the trailer below to get a glimpse into it.

(h/t: treehugger)

“They can form bonds like an old couple, where one looks after the other. Trees have feelings”

documentary-intelligent-trees-peter-wohlleben-suzanne-simard-4

Image credits: Chaiyun Damkaew

“Trees like to stand close together and cuddle. They love company. They can feel pain, [and] have emotions, such as fear”

documentary-intelligent-trees-peter-wohlleben-suzanne-simard-1

Image credits: TOMÁŠ MORKES

See for yourself in the trailer below:

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What do you think ?

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Arty 8 years ago

it's of course anthropomorphism (no nervous system, no brain,...) but they can feel if they are "attacked"...and their chemical changes. Some species produce metabolites influencing then other trees close to them. We can interpret this as intelligence but it's really nothing more than a chemical reaction. Then again...what is human brain and emotion if not chemical reaction?

15points

Hans 8 years ago

Absolutely...I think a sobber debate is quite helpful with such topics. Even though, I think, some fascination for abilities of living creatures should be allowed.

4points

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Notchimine Mette 8 years ago

Well said. :)

2points

Phillipe Knippel 8 years ago

Thats the same "mechanism" thats makes some species "close" their leafes if we touch it.

1point

Sally McPherson 4 years ago

As an artist, I commenced collecting information about trees and about human beings. Interestingly enough I discovered that trees and humans look like each other inside, i.e. a complete nervous system, a heart and various other similarities. Whereas there might be a debate as to whether trees have a brain, all things are Mind. That is a very different way of approaching all aspects of tree life. And again, all life. It remains that all things are consciousness. When you hug a tree, place your brow on the tree, ask it's permission to hug, and, ask the tree what gift you could bring it. :-)

0points

Evisa Isabella Rose 8 years ago

Really interesting..! Maybe all the living things have a ''soul'' in this world...

9points

Hans 8 years ago

At least we can say that we humans keep on underestimating other creatures ever, and ever again. And we stick to being anthropocentric, as many comments already illustrate. If you consider a tree an immobile, wooden, silent human, all of this _of course_ does not make sense. If you consider a tree a, well, tree, it does pretty much. Just a tree that is far more capable than meets the eye.

5points

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Notchimine Mette 8 years ago

I knew it! :) And I am pretty sure that all plants are like that. Not just trees.

6points

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Arty 8 years ago

15points

Hans 8 years ago

Absolutely...I think a sobber debate is quite helpful with such topics. Even though, I think, some fascination for abilities of living creatures should be allowed.

4points

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