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The Hills Have Lungs

Short answer: In very strong winds, trees sway hard enough that their shallow root plates lift and drop, raising and lowering the soil and moss on top of them. On video the forest floor seems to breathe.

The motion is a sign of stress that can end in a tree being uprooted. The footage shows a forest floor heaving during a windstorm.

VideoWrite-up1 sources
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What should you know about The Hills Have Lungs?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Strong winds rock the trees.

    DD-321-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Wind)

  2. Root plates lift and drop.

    DD-321-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (Root plates)

Video transcript: The Hills Have Lungs: In Strong Winds, a Forest Floor Can Rise and Fall Like a Chest

In extreme wind conditions, powerful gusts can lift and shift the ground around tree roots, creating an eerie visual effect where the earth seems to rise and fall as if it's breathing. This happens because the wind exerts such force on the trees that their roots are pulled upward, displacing the soil around them. The trees bend and sway, and as they do, the ground around them lifts and settles back down. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 19.6s Reel ·

Video coming soonThe Hills Have Lungs · Instagram Reel
The Hills Have Lungs: In Strong Winds, a Forest Floor Can Rise and Fall Like a Chest Instagram Reel · · 19.6s

The write-up

In strong winds, a forest floor can rise and fall like a chest. Swaying trees lever their roots and the soil above them.

  1. Exhibit A

    Wind

    Strong winds rock the trees.

  2. Exhibit B

    Root plates

    Root plates lift and drop.

  3. Exhibit C

    Breathing

    The ground seems to breathe.

  4. Exhibit D

    Windthrow

    It can end in uprooting.

  5. Exhibit E

    Footage

    The footage is a windstorm.

Questions people ask about The Hills Have Lungs

What makes the ground move?

Wind on the trees.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Wind) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

What lifts the soil?

Shallow roots.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Root plates) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

What can this end in?

Windthrow.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Breathing) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

What does it look like?

Rising and falling.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Windthrow) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

What weather causes it?

Storms.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Footage) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. What makes the ground move?

    1. Swaying trees' roots
    2. Earthquakes
    3. Moles
    4. Water
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Swaying trees' roots Wind on the trees. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Wind) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

  2. What lifts the soil?

    1. Root plates
    2. Rocks
    3. Ice
    4. Fungi
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Root plates Shallow roots. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Root plates) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

  3. What can this end in?

    1. Uprooted trees
    2. New lakes
    3. Volcanoes
    4. Nothing
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Uprooted trees Windthrow. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Breathing) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

  4. What does it look like?

    1. Breathing
    2. Boiling
    3. Freezing
    4. Glowing
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Breathing Rising and falling. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Windthrow) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

  5. What weather causes it?

    1. Strong wind
    2. Fog
    3. Snow
    4. Heat
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Strong wind Storms. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Footage) · Wikipedia: Windthrow

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Hills Have Lungs." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-321, last updated Sep 10, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-hills-have-lungs/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-hills-have-lungs/ · Last updated

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