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Where Is the World's Oldest Living Organism?

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Quick Answer

Pando, a clonal colony of quaking aspens in Utah, is estimated to be over 80,000 years old.

The Full Story

Pando, located in Fishlake National Forest in south-central Utah, is a clonal colony of quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides) connected by a single root system. Genetic analysis suggests the colony is between 80,000 and one million years old, making it one of the oldest and heaviest known living organisms. It covers about 43 hectares and weighs an estimated 6,000 tonnes. While individual trunks live about 130 years, the root system continually sends up new shoots. Pando is threatened by overgrazing by deer and elk, which prevents new growth.

Key Facts

1.Pando consists of roughly 47,000 genetically identical trunks.
2.Its name is Latin for "I spread."
3.Conservation efforts include fencing to protect young shoots from browsing animals.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"Pando — The 80,000-Year-Old Forest That Is One Single Tree"

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