‘World's Oldest Tree’: ‘Great Grandfather’ tree in Chile to reveal the planet's secrets

Researchers are studying a giant tree, nicknamed ‘Great Grandfather’, believed to be more than 5,000 years old. It will soon hold the record of being the ‘World’s Oldest Tree’. Know more about this tree.

An article in Bangkok Post reveals that the tree, found in Santiago, Chile, is more than 5,000 years old and has seen it all, survived climate change, disasters, and changing world orders. Researchers also believe that studying the soon-to-be world’s oldest tree will reveal many secrets of civilization over 5,000 years.

About the soon-to-be ‘World’s Oldest Tree’

The 5,000-year-old Great Grandfather tree will replace the current oldest tree, the Methuselah, which is 4,850 years old. While Methuselah is located in California, United States of America, the Great Grandfather tree is in Santiago, Chile, South America.

The Great Grandfather tree is a form of cypress, also known as the Fitzroya Cupressoides or the Patagonian cypress, while the Methuselah is a pine. The Patagonian cypress tree is the largest one found in South America.

Since a lot of tourists are flocking to get a picture with the new World’s Oldest Tree, Chile will soon restrict access to it. The tree has survived people cutting parts of its huge trunk to build houses or use as wood.

How was the tree found?

Anibal Henriquez, the park warden in the forest housing the tree, found it in 1972. But he kept it a secret from tourists and the general public, revealed his daughter Nancy Henriquez. While Nancy is also a park warden, Anibal Henriquez's nephew Jonathan Barichivich is one of the scientists studying the huge tree. Barichivich along with Antonio Lara, Researcher, Faculty of Science and Climate, Austral University, have estimated the tree’s age. They extracted a sample from the tree and studied it, to conclude that it was 5,000 years old.

Barichivich has said that the ancient trees have "genes”. They also have a very special history as they are “symbols of resistance and adaptation”. They are also “nature's best athletes".

According to Carmen Gloria Rodriguez, Assistant Researcher, Dendrochronology and Global Change Laboratory, Austral University, the rings around the tree will also help reveal the years of rain or drought, the earthquakes, fires and other trauma it survived.

FAQs:

Q1:Which is the soon-to-be World’s Oldest Tree?
‘The Great Grandfather’ in Chile is the World’s Oldest Tree.

Q2:Where is the World’s Oldest Tree?
The World’s Oldest Tree is located in Santiago in Chile.