“A really basic and easy way of defining intelligence is a solution to a problem.”

Tropical ecologist Varun Swami explores plant intelligence as the ability to solve fundamental survival problems. Drawing on examples from the Amazon rainforest, he shows how plants develop diverse strategies—such as strangler figs, fruit–animal partnerships, and pioneer species—to persist in challenging environments. Swami argues that intelligence is expressed through successful ecological solutions, highlighting plants’ ingenuity, adaptability, and role in long-term ecosystem resilience, even in severely disturbed landscapes.

Credits:
Direction and Production: Felipe Castelblanco
Camera and Editing: Felipe Castelblanco