I have no idea if this is true, but because someone I don’t know posted it on X, I’m inclined to believe it is.

Apparently, if it gets cold enough, trees can explode! As if Minnesota needs another thing to worry about. ICE agents are running around arresting illegal immigrants, and people protesting ICE are invading churches. And now if someone tries to tap a maple tree for syrup, the damn thing could explode and leave a bloody, syrupy corpse amid the falling snow!

According to USA Today, a sudden drop in temperature can cause a break in a tree known as a frost crack, which is a vertical opening that can extend deep into the wood of a tree. While frost cracks can be loud and cause branches to fall off, it would be extremely rare for a tree to fully explode because of it.

The key words in that last sentence are “extremely rare,” meaning it’s entirely possible that a frozen tree can explode. Why the Defense Department hasn’t somehow utilized this as a unique form of warfare is beyond me. (Maybe they have, and they’re keeping tight-lipped about it.)

So, as a good chunk of the USA prepares for a winter storm this weekend, keep your distance from downed power lines and shivering oak trees.