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Laser scanning may help prevent urban trees from falling

Phys · · 1721 words · By Karina Ninni
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What to know about Laser scanning may help prevent urban trees from falling

Researchers from the University of São Paulo are using LiDAR technology and mathematical algorithms to analyze tree architecture and optimize pruning to reduce the risk of urban trees falling. The study explores the use of 3D point clouds and finite element method simulations to identify mechanical vulnerabilities in trees, while acknowledging current limitations such as the exclusion of root data and processing time.

Propaganda risk 0%
Claims checked 11
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center50%
Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Laser scanning may help prevent urban trees from falling Robert Egan Senior Editor For the first time, a group of biologists and engineers from the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil applied LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to investigate…

Why it matters

This laser-sensing technology creates a "point cloud," a kind of 3D digital mold consisting of millions of coordinates that reproduces the plant's exact architecture in a computer.

Common ground

The researchers used this replica to apply a pruning algorithm based on "topological optimization." The technique simulates wind strength in a tree model to identify regions of the plant with the greatest mechanical vulnerability (compliance).

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Researchers from the University of São Paulo are using LiDAR technology and mathematical algorithms to analyze tree architecture and optimize pruning to reduce the risk of urban trees falling. The study explores the use of 3D point clouds and finite element method simulations to identify mechanical vulnerabilities in trees, while acknowledging current limitations such as the exclusion of root data and processing time.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-laser-scanning-urban-trees-falling.html

analyticsAnalysis

0%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 6
verified Verified By Reference 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 1
info
Claim 1: “Marcos Silveira Buckeridge, coordinator of the Laboratory of Ecological Plant Physiology (LAFIECO) in the Department of Botany at the University of São Paulo's Institute of Biosciences (IB-USP) and co-author of a paper published in May in the journal Trees: Structure and Function.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence consists of unrelated Japanese hotel advertisements. There is no mention of Marcos Silveira Buckeridge or the journal 'Trees: Structure and Function'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — HOTEL CONCEPT 北海道ホテルの想い 物語の始まりは明治32年。 これからも北海道の十勝で、ここにしかないホテルの過ごし方を提案し続けていきます。 これまでの100年を受け継ぎ、これからの100年も「記憶に残るホテル」を目指して。
https://www.hokkaidohotel.co.jp/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 北海道ホテルにご宿泊されるお客様だけに、トヨタレンタカーを特別料金にてご利用いただけます。 帯広＆十勝観光やグルメツアーにぜひご活用ください。
https://www.hokkaidohotel.co.jp/event/detail_210.html
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 北海道ホテルで。 CEREMONY 挙式 3つのスタイルから選べる挙式会場で、 心に残るセレモニーを。 PARTY ROOM 会場 テーマや人数に合わせて、 4つの会場からお選びいただけます。 CUISINE 料理＆ケーキ おもてなしの気持ちが伝わる 特別なお料理を。
https://www.hokkaidohotel.co.jp/wedding/ceremony/
info
Claim 2: “In December 2025, winds exceeding 90 km/h (56 mph) swept through São Paulo and surrounding areas.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One web search result ('Laser scanning may help prevent urban trees from falling') explicitly mentions winds exceeding 90 km/h in São Paulo in December 2025. No other independent sources corroborate this specific event.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — São Paulo (; Portuguese: [sɐ̃w ˈpawlu] ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — São Paulo (, Portuguese: [sɐ̃w ˈpawlu] ) is one of the 26 states of the Federative Republic of Brazil and is named after Saint Paul of Tarsus. It is located in the Southeast Region and is bordered by …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo_(state)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — São Paulo/Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport (IATA: CGH, ICAO: SBSP) (Portuguese pronunciation: [kõˈɡõɲɐs]) is one of the four commercial airports serving São Paulo, Brazil. The airport is named…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo–Congonhas_Airport
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 3: “More than 2 million inhabitants were left without power.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of dictionary definitions of the word 'over' and general Wikipedia entries about São Paulo. There is no mention of 2 million people losing power.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — São Paulo (; Portuguese: [sɐ̃w ˈpawlu] ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (IATA: GRU, ICAO: SBGR), commonly known as São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, is the primary international airport servi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo/Guarulhos_Internatio…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — São Paulo Futebol Clube (Brazilian Portuguese: [sɐ̃w ˈpawlu futʃiˈbɔw ˈklubi] ) is a Brazilian professional football club based in the Morumbi district of São Paulo. It plays in Campeonato Paulista, t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo_FC
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 4: “the team... found sibipiruna trees (Caesalpinia pluviosa) infected with Ganoderma, a fungus that typically grows on the underside of tree trunks.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for Caesalpinia pluviosa trees infected with Ganoderma on Avenida Professor Mello Moraes.
schedule
Claim 5: “Luís Otávio Trotti Martins Guedes de Souza et al, Improving tree stability with optimized pruning: a comprehensive cycle method, Trees (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s00468-026-02744-z”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 6: “The result: 1,327 reported incidents of fallen trees in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, including incidents resulting in injuries.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figure of 1,327 reported incidents of fallen trees in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area in December 2025 is mentioned in only one web search result. No other sources confirm this number.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Greater São Paulo (Portuguese: Grande São Paulo) is a nonspecific term for one of the multiple definitions of the large metropolitan area located in the São Paulo state in Brazil.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_São_Paulo
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady Assumption and Saint Paul (Portuguese: Catedral Metropolitana de Nossa Senhora da Assunção e São Paulo), also known as the See Cathedral (Portuguese: Catedral da…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo_Cathedral
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The São Paulo Macrometropolis (Portuguese: Macrometrópole de São Paulo) or São Paulo Megalopolis (Portuguese: Megalópole de São Paulo), also known as Expanded Metropolitan Complex (Portuguese: Complex…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Paulo_macrometropolis
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 7: “a group of biologists and engineers from the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil applied LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to investigate the health of trees and optimize pruning”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of unrelated search results about induction cookware, Brazilian Portuguese, and unrelated physicists/lawyers. No evidence mentions USP researchers using LiDAR for tree pruning.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brazilian Portuguese (português brasileiro; [poʁtuˈɡe(j)z bɾaziˈle(j)ɾu]) is the set of varieties of the Portuguese language native to Brazil. It is spoken by nearly all of the 203 million inhabitants…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Portuguese
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Michal Lipson (born 1970) is an American-Israeli physicist known for her work on silicon photonics. A member of the National Academy of Sciences since 2019 and the National Academy of Engineering sinc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michal_Lipson
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ronaldo Lemos (Araguari, March 25, 1976) is a Brazilian lawyer specializing in technology, professor, researcher, and television host, internationally recognized for his work on intellectual property,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronaldo_Lemos
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 8: “The researchers scanned a rosewood tree (Tipuana tipu) located on USP's Butantã campus.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided consists of general definitions of 'research' and a list of famous primate researchers. There is no mention of scanning a Tipuana tipu tree at USP.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Research, in its simplest terms, is an intentional search for knowledge. John W. Creswell states that "research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understand…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago · The meaning of RESEARCH is studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories…
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/researchers
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Which well known researchers focused on primate behavior? A: Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall are the most famous names in this field. Fossey dedicated her life to the protection and study of mountain gor…
https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-researcher_s)/reference
help
Claim 9: “a project in São Paulo that is using the technique to scan all 650,000 street trees.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for a project to scan 650,000 street trees in São Paulo.
info
Claim 10: “A point cloud of 30 million points was formed to capture the tree's shape.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the evidence explains what a point cloud is and how LiDAR works in forestry, it does not mention a specific scan of 30 million points for a tree in São Paulo.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This process creates a point cloud (PointCloud) consisting of potentially millions of points. Modern LiDAR use involves data collection from the air, where the device is mounted on a drone, increasing…
https://www.eurocc-access.eu/success-stories/mapping-tree-po…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Convert point cloud using AutoDesk ReCAP.In areas with dense vegetation and constant obstructions, taking accurate measurements can be extremely challenging. With the new era of SLAM LiDAR scanners, h…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ke6rH5aZjQ
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The resulting point cloud provides a spatial record of the trees, terrain, and surrounding vegetation for further analysis. Documenting an Ancient Tree in Less Than One Minute. For individual-tree doc…
https://www.fjdtrion.com/blog/customer-stories-3/how-forest-…
info
Claim 11: “approximately 30% of tree falls in the city of São Paulo are root-related.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence mentions a water crisis and general rainfall/flooding in São Paulo, but does not provide the specific statistic that 30% of tree falls are root-related.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — But of course it isn’t just Sao Paulo. That entire region of South America is in the midst of a long-term water crisis. Since the year 2000, the amount of rain the southeastern Amazon has been getting…
https://endoftheamericandream.com/is-this-global-drought-bei…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The downpour caused traffic jams in São Paulo.At 7 PM, CGE meteorological radar imagery showed moderate rainfall throughout the São Paulo capital. According to the GCE forecast, rainfall will persist …
https://www.riotimesonline.com/rainfall-in-sao-paulo-causes-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 2 022 просмотра • 27 июл. 2026 г. • SÃO PAULO. São Paulo Urbana é o seu destino no YouTube para explorar a metrópole sob uma nova perspectiva!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ees0umMXfc4
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.