The world's 10 oldest living trees
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Methuselah
At 4,841 years old, this ancient bristlecone pine is the oldest known non-clonal organism on Earth. Located in the White Mountains of California, in Inyo National Forest, Methuselah's exact location is kept a close secret in order to protect it from the public. (An older specimen named Prometheus, which was more than 5,000 years old, was cut down by a U.S. Forest Service graduate student in 1964.) Today you can visit the grove where Methuselah hides, but you'll have to guess at which tree it is. Could this one be it?
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Hmmmm....
The world’s oldest tree
Fulufjället is renowned for its centuries old forests. But when scientists revealed the age of the oldest spruce in the park, even the boldest estimates were exceeded: Fulufjället’s oldest spruce is more than 9000 years old, making it the oldest tree on earth.
These photos are amazing. It's crazy to really think about how old they actually are.
No tree from China, really?
I've seen a 4000+ years old ginkgo tree in ShanDong, China lol.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7353357.stm
Man that U.S. Forest Service graduate student must have felt like crap....
Donald Rusk Currey was researching the little ice age. He and the forest service were quite surprised to discover the trees actual age.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prometheus_(tree) its a true shame he cut this tree down. I would love to be able to see some of these trees for myself. Nature is so beautiful <3
Awesome....Mother Earth never ceases to amaze me!!!!!!!!!!
I saw this on TV once so I know it's said to be alive, it just doesn't look it. Sadly the blurb fails to explain 'why' that Forest Service graduate cut down Prometheus, the older tree, in 1964. Was it by mistake, did he think it was dead, was it anger? Be interesting to know please.
I cannot believe that he was allowed to do this.
omg! this is such a B-E-A-utiful picture!
He was taking a core sample from the tree, and his core bit broke off in the tree. Incredibly, he asked for (and received) permission to cut the tree down to retrieve his tool. The outrage this caused means such a thing would probably never happen again (I hope).
Did the student know what he was doing when he cut down Prometheus? Was he told to cut it down?? What happened when it was discovered??
The graduate student had permission and it sounds like there was discussion before the tree was cut down. Whether it was all above board seems a mystery. You can read more on Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prometheus_%28tree%29
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