Trees have the potential to be the largest organisms on Earth. The world’s tallest tree, dubbed Hyperion, is 380 ft tall and weighs over 1,600,000 lbs. Compared this to the world’s largest animal, a particularly massive blue whale which was 100 ft long and weighed 380,000 lbs, the simply massive size of this tree should be obvious. And unlike a whale, a tree is much less likely collapse and crush itself under its own weight. Trees need to be tall, even if doing so consumes a lot of resources, in order to compete for sunlight. So what lets trees get this big, and what limits their height?
Continue reading “What Makes and Breaks the World’s Tallest Trees”Author: bbickett
aging arthritis balance bio-inspired bone brain cardiovascular concussion development exoskeleton feet flight hands healing impact joints jumping land animals lungs marine animals material science medicine muscles other injury other sports pain plants predation prevention prosthetics rehabilitation robots running skin spine sports sports injury strength training surgery swimming technology tendon/ligament treatment walking wings and fins