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Appeared before dinosaurs: prehistoric forest discovered in New York, which may be the oldest in the world

'31.05.2022'

Nadezhda Verbitskaya

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Some forests in this world are very old, while others are surprisingly young. The rainforests of the Congo and the vast boreal forests of Siberia and Canada are only about 10 years old. The oldest rainforest in the world today is the Daintree Rainforest in Australia. But recent discoveries suggest that the world's oldest prehistoric forest is in upstate New York. Travel.

This petrified forest is yet another discovery that has forced researchers to rethink their assumptions and models of ancient history. For those who are interested in ancient biological history, we advise you to see living fossils. Some of them have hardly changed.

Ancient prehistoric forest in New York

A forest near Cairo, New York, could be 385 million years old, according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology. That's a lot, a hell of a lot! It preceded the dinosaur era (Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods). It is also older than the Carboniferous and extends deep into the Devonian period of Earth's history.

140 million years older than dinosaurs

This ancient New York rainforest was discovered in an old abandoned quarry in Cairo, about 64 kilometers south of Albany. Researchers have discovered the fossilized roots of long, prehistoric trees from an early stage in the evolution of life on Earth. These trees are estimated to have formed around 140 million years before the first dinosaurs and 15 million years before the earliest known insects. In those days, the world was very different. And this piece of land, which is now New York, was about 30 degrees south of the equator. The climate was dry and temperate.

On the subject: Ideal Holidays: 9 Cozy Forest Houses Near New York

What are the fossils found in Cairo

The roots of ancient trees form a stunning horizontal radial pattern 11 meters wide. The trees appear to be of the Archeopteris phylum (a type of tree with large roots and huge leafy tree branches). Roots up to 15 centimeters (5 inches) in diameter.

The forest was found by the staff of the New York State Museum, and they were amazed at the sheer size and scale of the root system.

Unfortunately, the old quarry with the ancient forest is not open to the public yet. It may be possible to visit it in the future. Photos of the forest can be seen in CNN article .

What destroyed the forest

It is assumed that the cause of the destruction of the ancient forest was a catastrophic flood. It is believed that the flood destroyed the trees, preserving their root system in the form of fossils that they are today. Among other fossil finds in this place, scientists have discovered prehistoric fish.

There is another prehistoric forest in New York and tourists are allowed there

While we are waiting for access to the forest in Cairo, you can visit the nearby fossil forest of Gilboa. There is also the Gilboa Museum dedicated to the ancient Devonian period.