The Methuselah tree and the secrets of Earth’s oldest organisms

The 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine in California is a vivid example of how resourceful and resilient life can beAs old-timers go, the Methuselah tree in California’s White Mountains takes some beating. According to research released last week, this ancient bristlecone pine will be 4,851 years old this year. Not a bad performance when it comes to avoiding the Grim Reaper.Nor is the Methuselah on its own in making recent headlines about longevity. Researchers announced last week they had fo