Oldest Living Tree: National Geographic

[lvlastermind]

Just thought this was interesting...


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080414-oldest-tree.html

 

[joeyar]

You're right. But how did they determine the age of the root system? Can't use carbon dating as its still living ...

 

[Helios]

This brings to mind the great tree Yggdrasil.

 

[CaptainQuasar]

Maybe it's a talking tree and they just asked it how old it is.

By the way, anyone else see this supposedly 134 year old woman story?

I really wish they'd explained how she figures what her age is and more dialogue with her... I mean, if she's really that old she ought to remember things like the Boer War and World War I.

⚛​

 

[lvlastermind]

Yah i heard about that and wasnt sure what to make of it... Hard to imagine a 134 year old woman in a 3rd world country...

 

[Andre]

You're right. But how did they determine the age of the root system? Can't use carbon dating as its still living ...

They carbon dated dead parts of the roots, raising two questions.

1. Did they really find the oldest part of the tree?
2. Is "9550" calendar date or carbon date?

Nowhere is hinted that they calibrated the carbon date, which is not always common practice. The standard protocol has not been used which is that:

9550 BP (before present) is a carbon date which would calibrate to 10,785 Cal BP (Calendar years before present)

If it was calibrated, hence 9550 Cal BP then the outcome of the carbon dating would have been 8638 BP.

The conversion table is here: Intcal04