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New Zealanders warned about the consumption of ‘sexy pavement lichen’
A common species of urban lichen is being promoted as a natural alternative to Viagra, much to the concern of scientists
An Old Tree Doesn’t Get Taller, But Bulks Up Like A Bodybuilder
Like other animals, we humans grow when we’re young and then stop growing once we mature. But this turns out not to be a universal rule of nature. Scientists have discovered that trees keep growing faster the older they get. NPR’s Richard Harris reports on this unexpected twist of nature.
- Nature; Published:
- The limits to tree height
Trees grow tall where resources are abundant, stresses are minor, and competition for light places a premium on height growth1,2. The height to which trees can grow and the biophysical determinants of maximum height are poorly understood. Some models predict heights of up to 120 m in the absence of mechanical damage3,4, but there are historical accounts of taller trees5. Current hypotheses of height…. lees verder
Do Trees Die of Old Age?
The oldest known tree in the world is an unnamed Great Basin bristlecone pine in the White Mountains of California. At 5,064 years old, this tree has seen things, man. Though not even remotely as majestic or gigantic as the mighty Redwoods, the bristlecone pines, which claim the top three spots on the list of the world’s oldest trees, look the part of their ancient age: round, wise, and a little scraggly around the edges, like crotchety old grandmothers.