Trees sync up their communication signals prior to solar eclipse

A new international study has revealed that spruce trees in northern Italy’s Dolomites synchronize their bioelectrical signals hours before a solar eclipse, indicating a coordinated anticipatory response, Earth.com reported.

Led by Professors Alessandro Chiolerio and Monica Gagliano, the research showed that older trees detected the eclipse first, suggesting they act as memory banks of past environmental events.

Using specialized sensors, researchers recorded changes in the trees’ bioelectrical rhythms up to 14 hours before the eclipse. During the event, the forest’s electrical activity became more ordered and synchronized, reflecting a collective response rather than isolated reactions. This coordination extended through the trees’ vascular systems, creating a living electrical map of the forest.

The study proposes that subtle gravimetric tides—shifts in Earth’s gravitational field caused by the Moon and Sun’s alignment—may cue the trees’ early response. The findings highlight the role of old-growth forests as ecological memory holders vital for ecosystem resilience.

Published in Royal Society Open Science, the research challenges traditional views of forests, presenting them as interconnected, intelligent systems capable of communication and adaptation.