Rant: Doc

I was thinking about the movie in which plants emitted a substance into the air causing humans to suicide.

[this movie is The Happening]

Strangely enough, it is based on fact.
If a tree is stressed either by parasites or adverse climate, it emits the chemical, methyl salicylate, the active ingredient in liniment and Dencorub, a cousin to aspirin. This is carried by the wind to nearby trees, which increase their content of toxic substances to deter parasites, or take other protective measures like draining sap to their roots.Trees communicate by chemicals like bacteria do. Further, if we humans denude the planet of trees, are we not committing suicide?

Ralph Skinner

B :-) d0c