I learned this summer bristlecone pines are among the longest lived life forms on earth. The oldest known non-clonal tree in the world is a bristlecone pine, named Methuselah, in California over 4800 years old. Its exact location is a closely guarded secret since the last oldest tree, also a bristlecone pine, was accidentally cut down.
I learned this summer bristlecone pines are among the longest lived life forms on earth. The oldest known non-clonal tree in the world is a bristlecone pine, named Methuselah, in California over 4800 years old. Its exact location is a closely guarded secret since the last oldest tree, also a bristlecone pine, was accidentally cut down.
Keeping it secret doesn’t help against accidentally cutting it down, no?
Sure, “accidentally”.
Well sort of. The researcher got permission, but they didn’t realize it was going to be the oldest tree ever recorded or they wouldn’t have done it.
sweating profusely while counting rings
Destructive research. “We need to cut this tree up to know if it’s a valuable really old tree”