The world’s oldest forest; Walking on the roots of 2 million years old

Scientists near New York City have discovered the world’s oldest fossil forest dating back about 2 million years. This ancient forest shows how the first evolved forests were involved in the formation of the Earth’s atmosphere. This forest is located near the city of Cairo in Green County. The trees of this forest were not simple plants; They were large, evolved trees with roots similar to today’s trees. Interestingly, this forest existed about 5 million years before the advent of dinosaurs (Earth).

Photographer: Unknown / Kolnegar.ir site

Three million years ago, northern New York, near the equator, was located in a tropical area with ancient forests growing on it. Today, the same land is located in northeast America due to the movement of continents, and the fossils of ancient forests are still there. This ancient forest is located in abandoned mineral and its area reaches about half a football field; This is the only small part of a huge forest that once walked from New York to Pennsylvania. Charles Ver Straetn, head of sedimentary rocks at the New York State Museum, discovered the place. When examining the old land, Charles Vare, with his sharp look, saw patterns in stone that resembled traces or works of marine creatures.

In the ancient forest, there are 5 million years old stones. The roots of ancient trees that are fossilized in fossils, such as a network or map, have spread to the ground. This network or patterns are horizontal and about 1.5 meters in length. When you walk in this area, you look at big roots. The discovery shows that the trees of this ancient forest appeared millions of years earlier than what researchers thought. Millions of years ago, it covered the huge flood of the forest and buried the roots of the trees under the sediments. Over time, the sediments and the roots became fossil. Today, these roots, like a window to the past, show us the history of ancient forests.

The star of the world’s oldest fossil forest is Archaeopteris, which should not be confused with Archaeopteryx dinosaur. This old tree was very different from the trees of its time. Its roots were surprisingly similar to the roots of today’s trees. Some fossilized roots of this tree are about 5 cm in diameter and a network of these roots is about 2 meters wide on the ground. These giant trees were up to 2 meters high and trunks with a diameter of 1.5 meters.

Photographer: Unknown / site itResan.com

What do you think about the world’s oldest fossil forest? Is it attractive to you to visit the remains of this ancient forest? We are happy to share your comments with us and the companions of Kajaru.

Cover’s photo source: Artificial Intelligence; Photographer: Unknown