![]() Since then, cross-sections of Prometheus have been shared among other scientists with the hope to gain further insight into North American forest history. ![]() It was not until Currey brought Prometheus into the laboratory did he learn of that Prometheus was a whopping 4,844 years old. Currey was a graduate student studying the history of forests during the Little Ice Age, and understood that Bristlecone Pines in particular had an incredibly long life span. In August 1964, Prometheus was cut down by Donald R. However, the identity and location of this tree remains a secret, most likely for preservation purposes.īefore Methuselah was discovered, another Bristlecone Pine stood in Great Basin National Park of Nevada. Methuselah was the oldest tree in the world until 2013, when a forester by the name of Tom Harlan discovered another Bristlecone Pine that was 5,065 years old. In the White Mountains of eastern California, the mighty Methuselah stands at an incredible 4,847 years old. Their ability to survive in drought-stricken, subalpine environments on poor soil make them one of the most resilient trees to have ever existed. Soon, this tree was towering above the rest, like an elder watching over their family, as a mature, fully-grown Bristlecone Pine.īristlecone Pines are one of the oldest tree species on the planet. Many years passed until this young seed grew into a tree, with waxy, bottle-brush needles in fascicles of five and dark purple cones. Long roots spread around the seed like an underground web, catching water as it flowed downhill, and a thick, sturdy trunk packed with resin locked out ice and rot. This young seed took hold of the bare mineral soil, surviving the cold winters and strong winds when other seeds from far away could not. Long ago, before the discovery of the Eagle Valley and even before the rise of Egyptian pharaohs, a young seed drifted on the wind and landed in the Rocky Mountains.
0 Comments
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |