Do trees have memories? - 6 Minute English

Can plants 'remember' stressful situations, such as droughts or pests? And if so, does it make them stronger and better able to fight disease? Sam and Neil discuss the topic and teach you related vocabulary.

This week's question
Trees grow a new ring every year and by counting them we can estimate their age. One of Earth’s longest living trees is The Great Bristlecone Pine, found on the west coast of America. But how long can these trees live?
a) over 1,000 years
b) over 3,000 years
c) over 5,000 years
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary
immune system
cells and organs which protect the human body from infection and disease

food chain
plants and animals that are linked in a chain because each thing eats something weaker than it, and gets eaten by something stronger

opportunistic
takes advantage of a situation to gain benefit, often without thinking whether the action is right or wrong

hypothesis
idea that explains how or why something happens which has yet to be tested to see if it’s correct

drought
long period of time with little or no rain

not bothered (about something)
not worried or concerned because it’s not important to you

To download the audio and a transcript, go to:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-211230

[Cover: Getty Images]

More 6 Minute English episodes:

How green is nuclear energy?
https://youtu.be/naB_3XYRtew

Why we forget the things we learn
https://youtu.be/1iHeeMlOsyc

Should fast food sponsor sport?
https://youtu.be/BvNNuSz-EFw

Grime: Music from architecture
https://youtu.be/l31dAwfYjhI

'I love my language!'
https://youtu.be/2z6A62BO2zc

How can we make the web a better place?
https://youtu.be/wMQjmpVgor8​​

#bbclearningenglish #learnenglish #trees #flora #immunesystem #foodchain #plants #forest