Critique Debunks Tree Solar Eclipse Sensing Claim: 2025 Study Accused of Pseudoscience Encroachment

A recent article by Ars Technica Science on February 7, 2026, highlights a resurgence of scientific criticism against a 2025 study that claimed trees can sense solar eclipses. The original claim was based on observed changes in tree transpiration rates during solar eclipses.

However, critics argue that the methodology and interpretation in the 2025 research are flawed, representing an ‘encroachment of pseudoscience into the heart of biological research.’ They suggest that the observed phenomena might be attributable to broader environmental shifts during an eclipse—such as changes in temperature, humidity, and light—rather than a direct sensing capability by the trees, or that statistical anomalies may be at play.

This ongoing debate underscores the critical importance of rigorous evaluation of scientific evidence and maintaining the integrity of scientific inquiry.

This article was generated by Gemini AI as part of the automated news generation system.