An interesting, entertaining and somewhat frustrating article on "the wood-wide web", more formally known as mycorrhizal networks, through which trees can "communicate" with each other and share nutrients. Note that the networks themselves are fungal. Essentially, a forest seems to be a kind of symbiotic superorganism. No surprise, really.
What makes the article so funny is the downright moronic discussion about whether or not trees and fungi are nice and solidaristic, or whether they really cheat, compete and parasitize each other. Ahem, haven´t we outgrown this dichotomous view of nature and evolution? It´s 2021, guys. Also, note that the scientists who attack the idea of cuddly harmony in nature as somehow ideological, don´t seem to understand that their own perspective is just as ideological, and probably subconsciously based on neoliberal capitalism. Note also the scientists who say that the younger trees might be parasitizing the older ones - well, yeah, you could say the same thing about human children, too!
The question of whether the wood-wide web is somehow "conscious" isn´t really tackled in this short piece, but from the top of my head, I say that depends on how we define "consciousness". Rather than being deaf-and-dumb or conscious in the same way as animals (another dichotomy), why can´t plants be conscious but in a way we can scarcely comprehend? I mean, they are alive, but not quite like us, either...
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