When the wind blows, trees shift and sway, reconfiguring their shape and their leaves in response. For parts of the year, that flow can also pluck pollen grains off the tree, carrying them on the winds. A new computational simulation models this pollen dispersal from a tree, with the aim of eventually integrating into a tool for urban planners.
Trees are an important component to fighting climate change, especially in cities, because they cool their surroundings in addition to providing fresh oxygen. But urban planners recognize the downsides to trees, too–allergies, anyone?–and, with the right tools, they could maximize the trees’ advantages while minimizing pollen spread for allergy-sufferers. (Image credit: M. Köles; research credit: T. Dbouk et al.; via Physics World)
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