Posted on 04/12/2008 10:35:19 AM PDT by blam
Worlds oldest, 8,000 years old tree found in Sweden
April 10th, 2008 - 11:23 pm ICT
RIA Novosti
Stockholm, April 10 (RIA Novosti) Scientists in northern Sweden believe they have discovered the worlds oldest living tree dating back nearly 8,000 years, local media said Thursday. A Norway spruce, which was found growing at a height of 950 metres above sea level, is more than two metres (6.5 feet) tall and about 20 centimeters (8 inches) in width.
Shortly after the discovery, scientists sent samples from the tree to a laboratory in Miami, US, and were amazed to learn that the tree was 7,800 years old.
Lars Hedlund, a local councillor from Dalecarlia where the tree was found, told Swedish Radio that the tree was one of the first to grow following the end of the ice age.
The Norway spruce is one of the most common spruces, often used as Christmas trees.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest living tree is 4,768 years old and is a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Methuselah located in the White Mountains of California. RIA Novosti
Lot of trees can do this. I have a cherry tree that is constantly trying to grow new main trunks from the roots.
It’s a shame to hear about those rare American Chestnuts being cut down. I hope it’s not the result of two liberals duking it out with each other over scenery- like they did when the one guy’s Redwoods shaded the Greenie’s newly installed solar panels and sued to get the Redwoods chopped down. Don’t know how it was settled.
Yggdrasil...?! /grin
Good point! I'm glad too, because I had to write a lot of that Bristlecone pine material for local brochures and web sites and I didn't want to have to rewrite all of it.
Of all the stupid garbage I keep in my brain I see you do the same.
October, 1999; 250-million-year-old bacteria were found in ancient sea salt beneath Carlsbad, New Mexico. The microscopic organisms were revived in a laboratory after being in 'suspended animation', encased in a hard-shelled spore, for an estimated 250 million years. The species has not been identified, but is referred to as strain 2-9-3, or B. permians.
These are specimens of the 250-million year old bacteria, B. permians. If it can be verified that these were re-animated from a long, long period of suspended animation then they hold the record for world's oldest living organism
I wonder what kind of cool enzymes they have.
There was an older bristlecone but due to stupidity it was inadvertently cut down.
ROFLOL
In your fantasy world only.
Man O Man.
Uff da!
That must how they survived the flood.
I have been working with ACCF (American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation) and Dr Gary Griffin since 1992.
I tend several sites with chestnut trees. The largest has 30 remaining trees four or five of which produce burrs and chestnuts. All of the mature trees except one have blight in varying degrees.
I visited the Exit Glacier in Alaska last spring.
As you approached the foot of the glacier signs began to appear with dates. The earliest date was 1892 cor maybe 1894. This sign was a fairly long distance from the current end of the ice.
The point is that the US Government has been tracking the glacial retreat for more than 100 years and that if there is global warming, the process has been underway for a very long time.
Very good, I feel much better now, lolol!!
http://www.springerlink.com/content/l15444p1335h5564/
Climatic conditions in the Alps in the years about the year of Hannibal’s crossing (218 BC)
excerpt:
By the 3rd century BC the Alpine glaciers were in a backward position compared with their position in 900-350 BC. This fact and the mildness of the climate, inferred from tree-ring analyses, suggest that ice conditions were not severe in the Alps in 218 BC.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.