In fact, no one even tried to give the word "tree" is a specific definition . It turns out that there are a huge number of trees , which the average person does not even suspect . The trees are much more than lies in their meager definition , and some of them can really surprise you .
10 . Festival Onbashira
Have you ever wanted to make an uncontrolled descent down the mountain , sitting on a huge tree trunk ? Silly question - of course, wanted. Onbashira during the festival , which takes place in Japan every six years , they are just that and are doing - and do it for already 1200 years. The trunks are used as pillars in the corners of local shrines , but according to custom , they must be replaced every time the Chinese calendar year of the monkey occurs or a tiger (yes, even despite the fact that it was the Japanese , not Chinese ).
are usually selected for the festival fir logs that are cut down and manually transferred to the venue of the festival. Reaching the top of the slope , the local men jump on the trunks and they ride on the trunk down the hill , feeling his courage . The process is so dangerous , how dangerous it sounds , and in the course of it , people often suffer serious injuries that sometimes end in death. Despite this , the festival is incredibly popular and attracts over half a million viewers. Impressive Congress from the slope on the trunks of fir trees is only part of the process of movement of logs , which takes several months , which are filled with many festivities .
9. Drugs derived from trees
You probably know that aspirin was originally derived from willow bark , but he definitely is not the only drug that is derived from trees. Like all plants , trees are a rich source of various biological compounds , so it is not surprising that we were able to find them in a number of chemical substances that are beneficial to us. Some drugs used for chemotherapy , are prepared from pieces of yew , and if you live in the UK and you have a growing yew tree that you do not use , you can even donate some of its branches .
Of trees are also getting drug Ecstasy . In Cambodia, the tree known as the «mreah Prew phnom», belonging to the genus Cinnamomi (Cinnamomum parthenoxylon), was on the verge of extinction due to the illegal drug trade. Of the four trees of this species can be a barrel of Safflower oil , an ingredient of which are synthesized in the laboratory of pills .
The process itself is very dangerous - distillation plant needed to produce oil from the roots of trees often explode . In addition , the harm caused to the environment in the process of getting this oil is appalling . It's not just that the felled trees on the verge of extinction, and that in the woods, consisting of those trees , live different and very rare species of animals and endangered species such as the Asian elephant . However, this does not care about the minds of members of violent drug cartels .
8. Deforestation may slow global warming
Making noises about illegal logging and the illegal felling of preventing it , is , first of all , consider the main element - what will be the effect of an action on the planet as a whole. The common view is that the cutting of trees will accelerate global warming. And it is logical to assume , because trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere , and as they disappear , carbon accumulates. However, as in the case of many things , the reality is not as simple as it seems at first glance .
Scientists from the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) conducted a study that showed that if we lose the forests, located to the north of latitude 45 degrees , that is , north of Montana in the United States or to the north of Bordeaux (Bordeaux) in France - the overall effect is really cool the planet. This could have happened due to the fact that forests absorb heat from the sun during the day and keep it at night , while the snowfields reflect solar energy back into space. However , scientists were quick to point out that forests have a huge number of other benefits , so long as it is not necessary to delay its plans to land a couple of seedlings in your home .
7. With diseases of trees are struggling with computer games
Deadly disease ash (Ash dieback) is a disease of trees, which is currently spreading rapidly across the UK. Some experts believe that the disease could kill almost all the trees in London, if the infection reaches the city limits. Scientists have already resorted to mobile technology and information tools to help people in the fight against the disease. In 2012, they launched a fun app called «AshTag», allows people to take a picture and send the picture of the sick tree scientist , specifying where it is located .
Another innovative way to attract volunteers to the task of finding a way of breeding trees with resistance to this disease is a game called «Fraxinus» in which you can play on Facebook. The game uses the genetic data of trees to create puzzles and solving these puzzles actually helps in the processing of data , so much so that it was realistic can accelerate the discovery that scientists need to know to breed trees that are resistant to the deadly disease ash . According to estimates , the active participation of Facebook users in the game can reduce the search time to solve this problem for decades , so why not try it? If you're interested, you too can play once the other . After all, what you reach level 350 in the game «Candy Crush» certainly will not cure cancer, is not it ?
6. The most dangerous tree
There is an official nomination in the Guinness Book of Records , which sounds like "The most dangerous tree in the world ," and this record is held mantsinellovym tree endemic region of the West Indies (Caribbean) and Gulf of Mexico . Mantsinellovogo tree bark covered with sap that causes blisters on the skin and can blind a person if it enters the eye. Even the mere presence of a tree in the rain can lead to the formation of blisters on the skin, because the juice along with rain water gets on your skin .
Fruit of the tree , known as the " beach apple " or " apple of death" , a little sweet to the taste , but they are very painful to have. Even from a small bite can form ulcers of the mouth and esophagus , and the eating of this fruit , guaranteed to result in death . Smoke from burning wood mantsinellovogo tree can cause blindness , and the juice from the ancient times was used for dipping in it arrowheads . To date , this tree is on the verge of extinction in Florida .
5 . Adoration of the trees
At present, about the religious significance of trees in the West remember , as a rule , only at Christmas. However, if you look at the history of mankind, it may be noted that in many cultures trees were popular symbols of fertility and growth. Their Majesty, in conjunction with the seasonal defoliation and re- dressing it , is associated with death and rebirth , respectively , making the trees a great choice for symbolism. In addition , they look damn beautifully decorated with tinsel and twinkling lights .
In India a more traditional worship the tree survived to this day. Sacred fig , or Ficus religiosa, the title says, no matter what language did not talk about it . This is one of the few trees revered in Hinduism, and a direct worship of trees comes from the belief that trees have a certain element of consciousness. The leaves and other parts of trees are often mentioned and are operational in prayers and religious ceremonies all over India .
Wood Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Sri Maha Bodhil) is the oldest tree on the date of the landing which we do know . It was planted in 288 BC, and grows in the temple on the island of Sri Lanka . It represents happiness and everything that makes life a long and prosperous .
4 . Japanese "miracle pine "
During the tsunami in 2011 the city Rikuzentakata, located on the east coast of Japan was almost completely destroyed. Despite the fact that the city was living only 30 000 people have died there over 2,000 people , or one tenth of all the victims of this tragedy. Before the crash on the shoreline of the city was growing 70,000 pine trees , and the place was considered the official " place of scenic landscape ." After the waves hit the shore, survived only one tree .
250 -year-old pine tree , which is naturally called the "miracle" , survived the initial destruction, but its roots have died due to exposure to salt water. To save the life of the tree experts dug it, removed the dead roots , and put them in place of synthetic roots, putting the tree in a specially designed metal frame . The tree was the symbol of hope for the broken-hearted people , and the mayor , who became a widower by the tsunami , said: "The Miracle of pine gave us strength and hope to go on living ».
3 . Illegal felling of trees
Theft of trees must be very troublesome event. The trees are large and heavy, and if they are not , they are , no one will want to steal. In order to steal the tree must have certain resources , however , the theft of trees is very common and the main reason for this is the fact that wood is a lot of money .
According to statistics in 1996 in just one month in Washington State sneaks wood in the amount of one million dollars. More recently , in Canada, thieves stole a massive , 800 -year-old cedar , and for the theft of this magnitude , they used heavy duty logging equipment . And this is not an isolated case , it's a big problem for the U.S. National Park .
Science, as always, managed to find a very convenient way to catch thieves trees. As living organisms , trees , like people, have a chain of DNA. Investigators in Indiana were able to stump for DNA to find logs at the sawmill . Unfortunately, many owners of the land for a long time did not notice that their trees have disappeared without a trace, so poachers unlikely to face severe persecution .
2 . Sitting on trees
December 10, 1997 in California environmental activist Julia Hill (Julia Hill) climbed on redwood to protest against the methods of harvesting «Pacific Lumber Company». She remained there until 23 December 1999 , setting a record for the longest sitting on a tree. Sitting on the trees is a popular form of protest among environmentalists worldwide .
Sitting on the trees is popular mostly because the people who are so far above the ground is very difficult to arrest or drive out . Environmentalists , sitting in trees, often associated with ropes a few trees , creating a sort of village and local people often visited by them to help with food and essentials things . This form of protest is so effective that in the state of Oregon has recently passed a law allowing logging companies to sue the protesters. The law was passed despite the fact that such a bill , sitting on a tree classifies as a crime for which the punishment relies to a prison term of up to five years , has not been approved by the Senate .
1. moon trees
In 1971, astronaut Stuart Roosa (Stuart Roosa) took 500 seeds on board the «Apollo 14 " as his personal luggage. In his former life Ruz was a member of the parachute timber fire protection squad , who jumped with a parachute in a burning forest to fight the fire ( must have been the same people with the courage of the astronauts something to do before they have the opportunity of space travel ).
Thanks to his career forest fire , the U.S. Department of Forestry (US Forestry Service) provided Rusu seeds, which he took with him into space. Seeds 34 times circled the moon aboard the command module «Apollo 14 " - Roos himself never set foot on the moon . When he returned to Earth , the seeds were planted, and five years later , the seedlings were distributed across the country (and even got abroad ) in honor of the United States .
Soon after, everyone forgot about them . They were only discovered in 1997 by a group of schoolchildren. Wood table with " Moon Tree" growing in the yard of an elementary school Kanneltona (Cannelton Elementary School) in Indiana, but none of it did not know. They called in NASA, but there is also no one had this tree no idea. Their request has prompted scientist Dave Williams get to the truth , and he was able to trace the history of the tree. Since then, he has collected information on more than fifty of these trees. In all likelihood, in the world there are hundreds of these trees , so if you know anything about such a tree , you can send email to him and help rebuild a piece of history .
Those of you who think that the trees possess some supernatural superpowers we have to disappoint - the moon trees compared with conventional trees that have grown from seed, never leave the ground , and did not find any difference.