Fostering a deep-rooted connection between people in academia is one of the core goals of the MINDS Conference. While we all experience surface-level communication during academic life through publications, presentations, specialised conferences, etc., we still often work in isolation. How can we shift the thinking to foster more collaborations and create more supportive environments for each other? Great examples from nature can inspire us to find solutions - The Hidden life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben tells us incredible stories about tree communities. Individual trees grow from the same soil, but it is important for forests to have a root connection between the trees to survive. Trees are able to communicate with each other and share resources when times are hard. Large trees can help small trees to grow and healthy trees can help damaged or ill trees to survive. Can we learn something from them?