Overview

• Dipteryx oleifera trees, native to Central and South America, survive lightning strikes with minimal damage, unlike most other species.
• Lightning strikes kill neighboring trees and reduce parasitic vine infestations, giving Dipteryx trees better access to light and nutrients.
• These trees are up to 68% more likely to attract lightning due to their height and wide crowns, which may be an evolutionary adaptation.
• Lightning tolerance significantly boosts the species' reproductive success, increasing offspring production by 14 times compared to other species.
• Researchers are now investigating the traits enabling this resilience and exploring whether other tree species share similar adaptations.