Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues Chevron right
New flash flood threat looms in Texas as heat scorches recovery zone. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

78°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

78°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

This mesmerizing video of a strange tree phenomenon can bring peace to your day

By Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Apr 18, 2019 6:44 PM EDT | Updated Jul 22, 2019 7:16 PM EDT

Copied

Shot near Tulum, Mexico, on April 9, this drone footage captures the beauty of a forest gently waving back and forth as the wind moves through the trees. IG: karanikolov

As the wind moved through the trees in a forest near Tulum, Mexico, Dimitar Karanikolov, an architect and photographer, sent a drone high above the canopy in early April. Amid the chorus of songbirds and the rushing of wind, the trees sway back and forth, barely touching in the mesmerizing video he captured. The distance between them creates channels and tributaries of space in a phenomenon called "crown shyness."

This doesn't happen in every forest, and scientists are still stumped as to what makes trees so bashful. There is evidence that it occurs among trees of the same species and possibly the same age.

Crown Shyness

The trees in Plaza San Martin Buenos Aires form channels in the canopy in a phenomenon is known as "crown shyness." (Flickr/Dag Peak)

Flickr

There are a few theories as to why this phenomenon occurs. One suggests that the wind is responsible, causing enough abrasion between the branches of neighboring trees to cause the gap. Much like two siblings on the verge of an argument, the trees end up just out of reach of poking each other. Just barely.

This theory's reception has been mixed, with a few studies confirming wind can have this effect while others have found "no significant difference" between sites with windy and sheltered stands of trees.

Others theorize that it is not the wind, but the neighboring trees that influence the creation of the phenomenon in their competition for sunlight. As the theory goes, trees may be able to detect the presence of another tree before being shaded by it. This is theorized to happen through trees perceiving the red of the light bounced from one leaf to another. Through this far-red light, the trees are able to sense leaves from other trees and naturally avoid the plants that could shade them from the sunlight they need.

RELATED:

Eerie video shows forest ‘breathing’ and it's freaking people out
Does a tree have a heartbeat?
Photos: ‘Ghost forests’ show the skeletons of dead trees as saltwater encroaches coastal areas

Some studies have shown that some trees with nearby relatives will specifically avoid growing in a way that would shade that neighbor.

Whether the shyness is from a sibling argument or family cooperation, the phenomenon retains its serenity.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

Jul. 11, 2025
Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

Jul. 11, 2025
Severe Weather

Is the US seeing worse flooding this summer? Here’s what’s happening

Jul. 11, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Thunderstorms to fuel flash flooding threat in Texas

11 hours ago

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

9 hours ago

Weather News

Camp Mystic’s owner warned of floods for decades

20 hours ago

AccuWeather Ready

Is your house in a flood zone? This map has the answer

14 hours ago

Severe Weather

Is the US seeing worse flooding this summer? Here’s what’s happening

18 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

14 hours ago

Weather News

Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday

19 hours ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

18 hours ago

Business

Samsung is looking into more AI devices potentially including earrings...

18 hours ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

1 day ago

AccuWeather Weather News This mesmerizing video of a strange tree phenomenon can bring peace to your day
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...