Older than Aerosmith. (Earth News).What's the oldest living thing on Earth? No, not Aerosmith--it's a 4,723-year-old bristlecone pine bristlecone pine, common name for the pine species Pinus longaeva, found in the White Mountains of California. Specimens are known that are nearly 5,000 years old. (Pinus called the Methuselah Tree. The ancient conifer conifer (kŏn`ĭfûr) [Lat.,=cone-bearing], tree or shrub of the order Coniferales, e.g., the pine, monkey-puzzle tree, cypress, and sequoia. Most conifers bear cones and most are evergreens, though a few, such as the larch, are deciduous. (plant that reproduces by making cones) dwells in California's Inyo National Forest Inyo National Forest is a federally protected forest in the United States. It is mostly located in California (1,839,887 acres / 7,445 square km.), but has a small section in western Nevada (60,656 acres / 245 square km.). , almost 3.35 km (11,000 ft) above sea level--a harsh, high-altitude environment nearly devoid of moisture, soil, and mineral nutrients. Without these staples, most living things Living Things may refer to:
How does the Methuselah thrive? One clue:The tree is planted on a bed of dolomite dolomite (dō`ləmīt', dŏl`ə–). 1 Mineral, calcium magnesium carbonate, CaMg (CO3)2. (limestone), a 500 million-year-old mineral rock with a higher moisture content than surrounding sandstone, sedimentary rock made of quartz grains. Dolomite reflects sun and helps the pine's roots retain water. It's also a strong base, or caustic alkaline compound, tolerated by only a handful of living species. Thanks to the alkaline rocks, the Methuselah has few neighbors, which means it doesn't have to share scant nutrients. Today the tree's greatest threat isn't its brutal living conditions--it's vandalism. So the Methuselah remains unmarked to discourage potential saboteurs. --N.D. |
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