5,400-Year-Old Tree "Great Grandfather" Is Discovered in Chile

Trees have existed on earth for 370 million years. It is estimated that there are approximately three trillion mature trees in the world. Scientists have discovered a Patagonia cypress tree in Chile known as “Great Grandfather” or Alerce Milenario is even older. Recent analysis of a segment of tree rings shows the giant is an estimated 5,484 years old—likely taking the award for oldest living tree.

With her colleague Jonathan Barichivich of the Parisian Climate and Environmental Science Laboratory, she took a sample of the core (interior wood) of the tree using a thin borer to not harm the ancient creature.