Mapping rainforest chemistry from the air reveals 36 types of forest

Chemical signatures of the Peruvian tree canopy reveal previously unrecognized biodiversity

images of Peruvian tropical forest

COMPLEX CANOPIES  A single hectare of Peruvian tropical forest is shown in natural color (left) and in colors that correspond to as many as 23 different chemicals. The images, taken from a plane, reveal a surprising level of complexity within the forest.

G. Asner/Carnegie Institution for Science

To some forest creatures, a tree is a home.