The Doerner Fir, one of the world’s tallest coastal Douglas-fir trees, has stood within the remote forest of the Oregon Coast Range mountains for at least 450 years. On Saturday, August 16, officials received reports that this historic giant was engulfed in flames. Firefighters rushed to the scene, deploying drones, aircraft, and hand crews in […]
Monitoring Tree Leaves From Space Could Help Predict Volcanic Eruptions
Forecasting volcanic eruptions is difficult, but not impossible. By keeping an eye on features such as ground deformation, changes in gas emissions, and ground tremors, volcanologists can sometimes make successful predictions, which save countless lives. NASA and the Smithsonian Institution are now teaming up to monitor another volcanic harbinger, but from space: leaves. Scientists already […]
Struck by Lightning? This Tree Kinda Likes it
If you’re stuck outside in the middle of a lightning storm, the most common advice is to stay away from trees, which might attract lightning. And while getting struck by lightning would certainly be very bad news for you, new research suggests certain trees might draw unexpected benefits from the electrocution. A team of researchers […]