Do Trees Have A Brain

On a Sunday morning, I was sitting on the sofa listening to music. My 10 yr old brother came to me and asked “Do trees have a brain?” I screamed at him immediately and said “You idiot don’t you have sense ? Do trees have any brain?” He remained unperturbed and he further questioned that how do they know that they have to grow towards sunlight and my teacher told me that trees do breathe, she also told that we human being have brain and it controls our breathing, walking ,talking, thinking and other daily activities. I told him Yes, that’s right we have a brain and our nervous system controls most of our activities.

Now he further questioned “So what does the trees have that controls their activities”. So I sat back for a while and started thinking as I looked for logical answer to this simple question. What makes the touch me not plant to respond to the touch stimulus we give ? what controls the activities of insectivores plants? , such numerous questions started to prop up in my mind. I was instantaneously judgemental and called him nonsense without giving a thought and now I was feeling stupid for saying so. In a matter of few minutes the equation had changed and I was feeling dumb in front of him.

Many times we think we are very intelligent and belittle others without giving a thought. I tried to explain him that each cell of a living being has an intelligence of it’s own and may it has no organised nervous system like our brain. He smiled at me and went to play although he did not seem to be convinced by my answer. He had evoked a train of questions in my mind and we should not underestimate any question as long as it is intended to know.