The oldest tree was found in an ancient forest in southern Chile. The plant is 500 years older than the previous record holder.
The giant cypress was discovered about 50 years ago. The diameter of the trunk is 4 meters, the height is 28. Even then, it was clear to scientists that this was a contender for the title of the most ancient long-liver of the forest. But it was possible to study it only last year.
Scientists using a drill made a cut of a tree, seeing more than 2,400 dense summer rings. It was far from the final figure, since the drill did not reach the middle of the cypress.
Computer modeling has shown that the age of the Great Great Grandfather – the name of the amazing plant – is 5484 years. Currently, the previous record holder, Methuselah pine, is 4,853 years old.
The plant was able to live for so many years thanks to its location in a cool, humid ravine, where forest fires are rare and lumberjacks are not operating. Researchers in an interview with ScienceAlert noted the decrepit state of the Chilean tree. It is covered with moss and lichen, other small trees began to grow inside.
Great Grandfather can open up information for scientists about climate change on Earth over the past 5 thousand years.
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