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The next time you're out walking through the forest, take a moment to look above you at the beautiful trees, and you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Check out these nature photography shots to see what we mean. The naturally occurring phenomenon is called "crown shyness" because the uppermost branches of certain tree species don't like to touch one another. The intriguing behavior was first observed in the 1920s, and various hypotheses have been presented since then in an attempt to explain it. Some believe it occurs to reduce the spread of harmful insects. Others believe that trees are attempting to protect one another's branches from getting cracked and broken in the wind, and it's also been suggested that "crown shyness" happens so that trees can optimize light exposure to maximize the process of photosynthesis which is done by the tree leaves. Despite these various theories, however, nobody knows for sure why this phenomenon occurs, but it serves to remind us of just how beautiful nature can be. Scroll down for some of our favorite pictures, and don't forget to vote for the best. (h/t: colossal)

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#7

Crown Shyness Trees

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Ok Ha-Neul
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

me in public places : don't touch me don't touch me please don't touch me eunghhhh

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#10

Crown Shyness Trees

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Marzo Florida
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I first looked at it, my eyes thought that the camera was in the tree looking down at cracks in a path :)

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#13

Crown Shyness Trees

Bong & Lilian Report

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Linda Brown
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With the one huge tree trunk front and center it is magnificent

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#18

Crown Shyness Trees

arbenedetti Report

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#19

Crown Shyness Trees

jeelsays Report

#20

Crown Shyness Trees

Mr. Sylvester Report

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#22

Crown Shyness Trees

Ayie Ramli Report

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#23

Crown Shyness Trees

lostfredde Report

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ljb_1955 avatar
Linda Brown
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is one of the trees that looks like a dog looking over his left shoulder.

#24

Crown Shyness Trees

lailysujak Report

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Linda Brown
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The trunk in the forefront and the rest of the out of sight

#26

Crown Shyness Trees

mukanD2007 Report

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#27

Crown Shyness Trees

Ensphinxed Report

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Ophelia Papworth-Rivera
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thought it was incredibly terrible of the author to not give credit to each picture of where each one was located?!

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