La vita segreta degli alberi

"Nature is a strict teacher." I found The Hidden Life of Trees on the philosophy shelf in a bookshop I frequently visit. Given the title, I assumed the book must be an unique read. However, once started, it became clear that most of the content had an environmental science influence. Still, I decided Leggi tutto

Q: Trees are very social beings, and they help each other out. (c) If even 10% of this is true, we live in a mode diverse world than we ever imagined. Wood-wide-webs, allowing social interation between trees. Trees in friendship, feeding, hugging and warning each other. Trees having sense of taste an Leggi tutto

As humans, daft creatures that we are, we are predisposed to look at where the action is. Swift movements, loud noises and bright colours capture our attention. Maybe this stems from our primitive instinct for survival, allowing us to spot the dangers darting in our general direction. Or it could be Leggi tutto

You can read this for the science or, like me, for how it helped me see. We are always in need of books that part the curtains of the familiar, the stuff we walk around and take for granted. In this case trees, all around us, the beings who help us breathe. It turns out they compete and cooperate an Leggi tutto

Peter Wohlleben has written a wonderful little book about trees. He is a forester; he manages a forest in Germany. He must do a wonderful job, as he has amazing insights into the life of trees and tree society. Did I say society? Yes, trees communicate with each other, nurture their young, and aid th Leggi tutto

Tolkien was right. Trees live in the sloooooow lane (imagine healing a skin wound over decades) but what lives they lead! They have incredible social networks, share food, rear children, and care for the ill. Yes, there's some anthropomorphization here, but still... When evolution has figured out how Leggi tutto

“When you know that trees experience pain and have memories and that tree parents live together with their children, then you can no longer just chop them down and disrupt their lives with larger machines.” This is an extremely emotive book and it does wonders at humanising trees and maki