Quote Originally Posted by JMA View Post
And they do this how? I have often thought how a very tall redwood tree "lifts" the water from below ground to the leaves. Easier to be told than to try and figure it out.
Oh! Oh! Something I can answer... somewhat. This is the danger of allowing engineers access to webboards. I can't answer how local folks would push water uphill.

Trees, I think I can answer. Capillary action. Essentially, if you create enough surface area and thin enough tubes, the water will have a natural tendency to cling to the sides of the tubes. Same principle as to why when you sip soda through a straw, the height of the soda inside the straw can be higher than the level of the soda in the cup, even after you stop sipping.

Additionally, with trees, they also aspirate water through the leaves. This creates a "pull" at the top of the tree (kinda like sucking on the straw). Combine that with capillary action at work inside the tree (and veins inside the tree that branch off and get smaller and smaller as you work your way up) and poof, watered tree. That's the gist of it, anyway.

Anyways... I'll stop playing Mr. Wizard and let you all get back to your regularly scheduled discussion on counterinsurgency type things.