We stayed at a pub-stop in the New Forest. There was a magnificent oak tree down the road. I stood with it for a few moments and thought about the bark, gave it a hug.

Apparently there is a book of fiction called The Overstory, which describes how trees are interconnected for miles and miles and communicate with each other through growth and the distribution of nutrients. That fascinated me and I can’t wait to read it and study trees more. I feel happy around trees and in forests.

I’ve been reading/listening to a couple of books about the Ethereum blockchain. I’m sure this isn’t an original thought but it hit me that blockchains can be described like digital trees. Moving forward constantly and growing in one direction mostly, up. Some child DAO’s wither and die without the right conditions.

Others grow into huge structures, requiring stable nutrients and conditions to thrive. Right now they are all too power hungry to coexist additively with our world long term. What could they give back that feeds us like trees?

Once I heard on a podcast that you can look at different blockchains like cities. For example Ethereum could be New York with its defi layers and large volume of traffic comparable to New York’s finance and business sectors. I liked that metaphor but I like this one too.

The books are The Cryptopians by Laura Shin and The Infinite Machine by Camila Russo.

And The Overstory.