Comments on: The oldest living tree tells all http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Itsumishi http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1585971 Itsumishi Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1585971 It also seems like you'd have more than plenty of room to avoid hitting it. It also seems like you’d have more than plenty of room to avoid hitting it.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1585619 Antinous / Moderator Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1585619 It seems pretty natural that you would unconsciously head for the only visible marker in your current universe. It seems pretty natural that you would unconsciously head for the only visible marker in your current universe.

]]> By: Itsumishi http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1585595 Itsumishi Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1585595 The linked article claims up to 80,000 years old, but they point out that no single part of a clonal plant colony will usually live past a few hundred years. The linked article claims up to 80,000 years old, but they point out that no single part of a clonal plant colony will usually live past a few hundred years.

]]> By: Itsumishi http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1585594 Itsumishi Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1585594 How drunk do you have to be to hit the only tree within a 400km radius?! And it sounds like that was actually the second time the tree was hit by an automobile! How drunk do you have to be to hit the only tree within a 400km radius?!
And it sounds like that was actually the second time the tree was hit by an automobile!

]]> By: Rod http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1584186 Rod Fri, 16 Nov 2012 07:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1584186 Were you reading Cracked a couple weeks ago? Were you reading Cracked a couple weeks ago?

]]> By: DutchS http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1583978 DutchS Fri, 16 Nov 2012 03:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1583978 It may have been the oldest single tree, but clonal plant colonies like some aspens are believed to be tens of thousands of years old. It may have been the oldest single tree, but clonal plant colonies like some aspens are believed to be tens of thousands of years old.

]]> By: acerplatanoides http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1583617 acerplatanoides Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1583617 Agreed. That is an important point. He called someone remote from the situation to give legal clearance to clean up a mistake as quickly and easily as possible for ALL PEOPLE INVOLVED. Hope he learned from that mistake too. What could the tree have done differently is the only question left, I guess. Agreed. That is an important point. He called someone remote from the situation to give legal clearance to clean up a mistake as quickly and easily as possible for ALL PEOPLE INVOLVED. Hope he learned from that mistake too. What could the tree have done differently is the only question left, I guess.

]]> By: NynjaSquirrel http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582999 NynjaSquirrel Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582999 I got the impression he called in assistance, not to recover the bit, but to date the tree via a less respectful method - ie - cutting it down to get his core samples? I got the impression he called in assistance, not to recover the bit, but to date the tree via a less respectful method – ie – cutting it down to get his core samples?

]]> By: mark http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582947 mark Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582947 I see what you did there. I got a little rush from that comment  :-) I see what you did there. I got a little rush from that comment 
:-)

]]> By: anansi133 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582905 anansi133 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 04:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582905  Don't leave out the part where he called in for authorization before cutting it down. That act wasn't his alone, it belongs as well to whoever gave him the go-ahead.  Don’t leave out the part where he called in for authorization before cutting it down. That act wasn’t his alone, it belongs as well to whoever gave him the go-ahead.

]]> By: Mark Dow http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582867 Mark Dow Thu, 15 Nov 2012 03:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582867 A large slab of this tree is at the GBNP visitor center, fantastic to look at closely and wonder. A large slab of this tree is at the GBNP visitor center, fantastic to look at closely and wonder.

]]> By: JC http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582801 JC Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582801 It is ironic how he got the tree cut down to recover a sample for a tool meant to study the tree without cutting it down. It is ironic how he got the tree cut down to recover a sample for a tool meant to study the tree without cutting it down.

]]> By: acerplatanoides http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582784 acerplatanoides Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582784  a crime against the trees, imho.  a crime against the trees, imho.

]]> By: Felton / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582780 Felton / Moderator Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582780 "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of men for this treachery!" “There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of men for this treachery!”

]]> By: Timmo Warner http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582779 Timmo Warner Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582779 He was cut down to see how old he was. He was cut down to see how old he was.

]]> By: Frank Lee Scarlett http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582774 Frank Lee Scarlett Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582774 I was just about to link to this article. "I needed a fire to see my meth better, so I burned down the 5th oldest tree in the world. And captured the fire on my phone."  Yeah. That, I think, qualifies her for the title of Huge MF'ing Asshole. I was just about to link to this article. “I needed a fire to see my meth better, so I burned down the 5th oldest tree in the world. And captured the fire on my phone.” 

Yeah. That, I think, qualifies her for the title of Huge MF’ing Asshole.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582773 Antinous / Moderator Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582773 Where's Treebeard when you need him? Where’s Treebeard when you need him?

]]> By: chgoliz http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582764 chgoliz Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582764 Though, let's face it: that should have been a clue that he was dealing with a much tougher, older tree than he thought. Though, let’s face it: that should have been a clue that he was dealing with a much tougher, older tree than he thought.

]]> By: chenille http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582754 chenille Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582754 Were the tree not the oldest or hundred oldest, most people would not even expect the need to know to justify destroying it. Average trees are killed for more lamentable reasons all the time, and their killers are rarely questioned let alone compared to Nazis. Let's be clear what sets Currey apart: of those who have felled most of the ancient trees, he's one who bothered to figure out that he had done so. Were the tree not the oldest or hundred oldest, most people would not even expect the need to know to justify destroying it. Average trees are killed for more lamentable reasons all the time, and their killers are rarely questioned let alone compared to Nazis.

Let’s be clear what sets Currey apart: of those who have felled most of the ancient trees, he’s one who bothered to figure out that he had done so.

]]> By: Sheri L. Williamson http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582739 Sheri L. Williamson Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582739  I'm not normally in favor of capital punishment, but...  I’m not normally in favor of capital punishment, but…

]]> By: Ipo http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582731 Ipo Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582731 A geologist  doing dendrochronology sounds like a stonemason doing carpentry.  Broke off his bits.   Pff  Independent of this tree being the oldest or the hundredth oldest - his need to know how long it had lived was more important than the entire life of the tree.  Dr. Mengele too considered himself a research scientist.  A geologist  doing dendrochronology sounds like a stonemason doing carpentry. 
Broke off his bits.   Pff 

Independent of this tree being the oldest or the hundredth oldest – his need to know how long it had lived was more important than the entire life of the tree. 
Dr. Mengele too considered himself a research scientist. 

]]> By: acerplatanoides http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582723 acerplatanoides Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582723 No kidding. I was speaking about only action, thanks for getting that. I've worked hands on with endangered species and accidentally killed them (within federal permit accidental take limits, no crime), however I wasn't feeling badly about it because someone called them an endangered species.  I was feeling badly because I must have been in a rush, It didn't happen to me. It happened to that fish. I did that. Thanks for the lecture. No kidding. I was speaking about only action, thanks for getting that.

I’ve worked hands on with endangered species and accidentally killed them (within federal permit accidental take limits, no crime), however I wasn’t feeling badly about it because someone called them an endangered species. 

I was feeling badly because I must have been in a rush,

It didn’t happen to me. It happened to that fish. I did that.

Thanks for the lecture.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582692 Antinous / Moderator Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582692 <blockquote>It is Currey's shitty luck that his youthful, amateurish mistake is one for the record books.</blockquote>Seems like the tree paid for his bad luck.

It is Currey’s shitty luck that his youthful, amateurish mistake is one for the record books.

Seems like the tree paid for his bad luck.

]]> By: Marios P. http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582681 Marios P. Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582681 thats a typical course of action in hollywood (pun intented) movies. Shoot now ask questions later... thats a typical course of action in hollywood (pun intented) movies. Shoot now ask questions later…

]]> By: Sam Ley http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582659 Sam Ley Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582659 Every time this topic comes back up I feel bad for Currey - people act like he was some kind of devil, or jerk, or evil guy. He had no way of knowing those trees were that old when he started his survey, they aren't that big. When he started his survey he was a young scientist working his butt off and rushing, but when he realized how old the tree was that they cut down, it ruined his career and to a large extent, his entire life. It was a mistake, but cut the guy some slack - he wan't a trophy hunter, he was trying to better understand the trees in order to better protect them. He fucked up on the first one, but now that we know how old those Bristlecones can be, we haven't made that mistake again. Before that people regularly cut them down just for the heck of it - if no one had studied their ages we probably wouldn't have ANY left. Every time this topic comes back up I feel bad for Currey – people act like he was some kind of devil, or jerk, or evil guy. He had no way of knowing those trees were that old when he started his survey, they aren’t that big. When he started his survey he was a young scientist working his butt off and rushing, but when he realized how old the tree was that they cut down, it ruined his career and to a large extent, his entire life.

It was a mistake, but cut the guy some slack – he wan’t a trophy hunter, he was trying to better understand the trees in order to better protect them. He fucked up on the first one, but now that we know how old those Bristlecones can be, we haven’t made that mistake again. Before that people regularly cut them down just for the heck of it – if no one had studied their ages we probably wouldn’t have ANY left.

]]> By: mynonymouse http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582649 mynonymouse Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582649 My point was to clearly differentiate between action and essential character. When Krakauer first wrote about Chris McCandless in <i>Outside</i> magazine he was surprised by the vitriol that was used to condemn McCandless. He talks about that response as a major motivator for writing <i>Into The Wild</i>. His point, and the one I was and am trying to make as well, is that it is the nature of youth and amateurism to make mistakes that can, depending on the outcome, look heroic and amazing or just amazingly stupid. Krakauer talks about an arguably much stupider solo climb he made as a young mountaineer that earned him enormous admiration in the climbing community. He carefully dissects all the ways in which that adventure could have gone wrong, and knows that he would have been regarded as an idiot for the undertaking if he had died. But he lived. And was lionized. The snide comment I made about parsing grammar may have been uncalled for, but I deeply believe in the importance of making mistakes. It seems to me that this belief is central to the maker ethos. We learn by doing. We learn by making mistakes. It is Currey's shitty luck that his youthful, amateurish mistake is one for the record books. My point was to clearly differentiate between action and essential character. When Krakauer first wrote about Chris McCandless in Outside magazine he was surprised by the vitriol that was used to condemn McCandless. He talks about that response as a major motivator for writing Into The Wild. His point, and the one I was and am trying to make as well, is that it is the nature of youth and amateurism to make mistakes that can, depending on the outcome, look heroic and amazing or just amazingly stupid. Krakauer talks about an arguably much stupider solo climb he made as a young mountaineer that earned him enormous admiration in the climbing community. He carefully dissects all the ways in which that adventure could have gone wrong, and knows that he would have been regarded as an idiot for the undertaking if he had died. But he lived. And was lionized. The snide comment I made about parsing grammar may have been uncalled for, but I deeply believe in the importance of making mistakes. It seems to me that this belief is central to the maker ethos. We learn by doing. We learn by making mistakes. It is Currey’s shitty luck that his youthful, amateurish mistake is one for the record books.

]]> By: Navin_Johnson http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582631 Navin_Johnson Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582631 Continuing with that theme: In January a Florida meth-head accidentally burned down one of the world's oldest trees. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator_%28tree%29 Continuing with that theme: In January a Florida meth-head accidentally burned down one of the world’s oldest trees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator_%28tree%29

]]> By: acerplatanoides http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582623 acerplatanoides Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582623 I am proud of being able to understand that "Christ what an asshole" is a cultural norm in this setting, often celebrated for it's clumsy use in a variety of settings to mean what you are telling me, nearly dictating for me, what I should be saying to be clear to you. I was speaking to the group. Welcome. I am proud of being able to understand that “Christ what an asshole” is a cultural norm in this setting, often celebrated for it’s clumsy use in a variety of settings to mean what you are telling me, nearly dictating for me, what I should be saying to be clear to you.

I was speaking to the group. Welcome.

]]> By: acerplatanoides http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582618 acerplatanoides Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582618 But scientists make that claim, then they learn or don't learn that hubris in the face of nature is a mistake. If they do, THAT is science. But scientists make that claim, then they learn or don’t learn that hubris in the face of nature is a mistake.

If they do, THAT is science.

]]> By: franko http://boingboing.net/2012/11/14/the-oldest-living-tree-tells-a.html#comment-1582599 franko Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194155#comment-1582599 hey, i've been to that tree! it's in Great Basin Nat'l Park. i can't even wrap my brain around how old those trees are, and what they've survived through so far in their life. it's amazing. [EDIT]: oh wait, no, that's not the same tree. the shape and view looks similar. my awe still stands. hey, i’ve been to that tree! it’s in Great Basin Nat’l Park. i can’t even wrap my brain around how old those trees are, and what they’ve survived through so far in their life. it’s amazing. [EDIT]: oh wait, no, that’s not the same tree. the shape and view looks similar. my awe still stands.

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