SKIRMISHER

Wired: In The Happening, the plants deliberately target humans with toxins that have an effect similar to domoic acid’s.

Caron: The idea that organisms would target the brains of humans is far-fetched. However, the notion that the plants could produce substances because of pollution that then have a deleterious effect on brain function is not unreasonable. It’s at the borderline of science fiction and science.

Wired: The plants become aggressive in the film, as if they’re fighting for space. Does that make sense from a biological perspective?

Caron: Land plants use chemical warfare against one another because they’re competing for the same nutrients, the same soil. Similarly, if the amount of plant material in the ocean increases, the organisms may well become more nasty and compete in a more vicious way with one another. The consequence is that these toxic materials they produce could become more prevalent in the system.

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{Photo: Mark Wahlberg’s “What the fuck?! I’m in a lousy Shyamalan twist movie!” face}

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