385 million years old ancient trees forest’s Fossils was discovered in the USA
– Rahil Khan
The oldest forest in the world has been discovered. It is estimated to be around 385 million years old. And the forest was discovered in Cairo, New York in the USA. A survey published in ‘Current Biology’ reveals all the information on the world’s oldest forest.
Scientists previously thought that the jungle fossils found in Gilboa, New York, were the world’s oldest. But recent surveys suggest that the Cairo forest is about 2-3 million years old and characteristically different from the Gilboa forest.
Christopher Berry, a member of the New York State Museum, first noticed the roots in Cairo’s massive hole. But he did not understand the importance of the matter. Christopher Berry thought that a large tree had recently been taken down from there. But by examining the character of the soil, researchers are convinced that this impression of the roots is many years old.
Lead study author William Stein, professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, said the mapping was done very carefully because of the doubt about the matter. According to Stein’s team, most of the trees in the jungle died in devastating floods, while the roots remained fossilized. Even fish fossils have been found near large trees.
In the words of Christopher Berry, ‘The discovery of the oldest forest explains the difference between the forest cover and the non-forested earth.’
Research shows that this jungle is about 100 million years ago when Dinosaurs came to this world. There are mainly three types of trees found, two of which are characteristically distinct. They have no resemblance to the Gilboa jungle.
Scientists believe that carbon dioxide levels have dropped drastically in the presence of huge greenery and that the temperature of the earth goes down. This may be the reason for the destruction of the vast forest. Stein said, ‘In today’s age, the situation is quite the opposite. Now carbon dioxide has risen so much, we are now in extinction.
Source: Ei Samay
