Video Captures A "Breathing Forest" In Quebec

Sep 06, 2019

Thanks to social media, our eyes have seen some crazy things. A lot of attention has been given to the square waves and icebergs that have circulated online, as one example.

Another natural phenomenon has been making the rounds on social media. The pictures and videos are being called the “breathing forest,” and when you see them for yourself you will know why.

Daniel Holland is the Twitter user who first shared the video he took of a forest that seemed to be “breathing” in Quebec, Canada. It was posted on October 20th and has quickly gone viral. Check out the short clip above. In it, you will see the ground lifting up and down.

Comments from viewers came flooding in soon after the video clip was posted. Some viewers were stunned, while others said they would have been freaked out to see it for themselves. Other viewers made jokes about the video.

All joking aside, there is a real explanation as to why the forest seems to be breathing. It’s not due to an earthquake, as many would guess.

Plants breathe by exhaling oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide out of the air through a process known as photosynthesis. However, the video is no more than an optical illusion. It looks like the forest is breathing due to the saturation of the ground from rain and wind.

Mark Vanderwouw, certified arborist, told The Weather Network that the soil around the roots of the tree has become loose due to the rain. As the wind blows on the trees, the force becomes transferred to the roots, making the ground look like it is breathing. Eventually, a strong wind could topple the tree altogether.

Check out this longer footage of another forest “breathing” in and out:

What do you think of this phenomenon? Did it freak you out? Leave us a comment below and pass this cool video on!