Did these spruce trees really 'predict' a solar eclipse? Scientists are split

image via Space.com

March 4, 2026, 2:00 PM

• •Original research claimed spruce trees showed synchronized electrical activity before a solar eclipse.
• •The new opinion paper suggests the activity was due to a storm and lightning, not eclipse anticipation.
• •Researchers debate the interpretation of data and the need for further investigation.
• •The original research team acknowledges potential alternative explanations.

A new opinion paper challenges research suggesting that spruce trees in Italy anticipated a solar eclipse by questioning the original team's conclusions. The original study, published in Royal Society Open Science, detailed heightened electrical responses in trees before the eclipse. The new paper, published in Trends in Plant Science, suggests that the electrical activity was more likely due to a nearby storm and lightning strikes, not the trees anticipating the eclipse. The debate highlights differing interpretations of the data and the need for further research to understand the trees' behavior.

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