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Chile could be home to world’s oldest tree

A lush green forest in southern Chile might be home to the world’s oldest tree after a new study found that an ancient alerce tree known as “great grandfather” could be more than 5,000 years old. Scientists were not able to determine an exact age based on tree rings because of the tree’s massive trunk.

Jonathan Barichivich, the scientist who led the study, said the sample they extracted and other dating methods suggest the tree is up to 5,484 years old.