00:00Do we need to believe that trees are intelligent to take care of them?
00:03No, we shouldn't.
00:05We should take care of trees because they're living things.
00:08They need our help to survive.
00:10But believing that trees are intelligent will make us better stewards of the environment.
00:15It will make us more aware of the challenges that trees face and more committed to finding solutions.
00:21Now, what if intelligence did grow on trees?
00:24How would that work?
00:25Let's imagine that instead of acorns, oak trees produced little computers.
00:31Each computer would contain all the information needed to grow an oak tree,
00:35including the tree's memories, its knowledge of its environment, and its ability to solve problems.
00:40Here's how it might work.
00:42When an acorn fell from an oak tree, it wouldn't just sprout into a seedling.
00:46Instead, it would hatch into a little robot tree.
00:49The robot tree would look like a seedling, but it would be hollow inside.
00:53Instead of wood, it would be filled with wires and circuits.
00:57The circuits would be protected by a shell, which would resemble the protective covering of a real seedling.
01:03The robot tree would start out small, but it would grow quickly.
01:06As it grew, it would absorb information about its environment.
01:10It would sense gravity, touch, temperature, moisture, light, and chemicals.
01:15It would also remember everything that happened to it.
01:18Every time it was touched, every time it rained, every time it sensed danger, it would remember.
01:23And it would use its memories to grow.
01:26For example, if the robot tree were growing in a forest, it would sense the presence of other trees.
01:31It would feel the wind as it blew through the trees, and it would see the light filtering through the
01:36leaves.
01:37Using this information, it would decide how to grow.
01:40It would stretch toward the light, it would grow roots toward water, and it would avoid growing too close to
01:46its neighbors.
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