Researchers have discovered that redwood forest trees in California's Muir Woods are only 777 years old. The first is half of the previous estimates of 1,500 years.
This was the first tree dating in the Muir Woods National Monument. It is located 12 miles (180.2 km) north of San Francisco.
Researchers studied Muir Woods' tallest plant, Tree 76. The Humboldt State University scientists found out that the 249-foot-tall (75.9 m) coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens , is a baby tree compared to other species in Northern California and other locations.
The birth year of Tree 76 dates back to the start of the Spanish Inquisition, according to WTOP. That was in the early 1200s.
The researchers examined the tree rings of another coast redwood in Crescent City, CA, to discover its age: 2,250 years old. Meanwhile, the oldest giant sequoia tree, located in Sierra Nevada, has been dated at 3,240 years old, according to Tech Times.
The size of tree rings change yearly. They become bigger during wet years, and get smaller during dry years.
The scientists studied pencil-thin tree core samples. They collected the data from different heights, and then compared it with other trees' figures.
Researchers calculated that Tree 76 is 777 years old. However, this figure includes a 34-year margin of error.
The university study was part of a statewide project to examine the size, age, and rings of redwood forests. Save the Redwoods League sponsored the tree research.
Researchers were encouraged by the redwoods' health. That was particularly due to the recent California drought and climate change.
Emily Burns, a Redwoods League director, explained that this was due to redwoods growing in some of California's wettest regions. This results from fog covers, snow runoff, and moist soil.
Scientists are not sure why the Muir Woods' redwood trees are much younger than redwood groves in surrounding regions. This could be due to natural disasters including wildfires or landslides.
The world's oldest tree is Methuselah, a bristlecone pine tree located in California's White Mountains, believed to be nearly 5,000 years old. It is named after the Hebrew Bible's oldest person, who reportedly lived to be 969 years old.