Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest forest—and its radical impact on life

Science

Image: Charles Ver Straeten

Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest forest in an abandoned quarry near Cairo, New York. The 385-million-year-old rocks contain the fossilized woody roots of dozens of ancient trees. The find marks a turning point in Earth’s history. When trees evolved these roots, they helped pull carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and lock it away, radically shifting the planet’s climate and leading to the atmosphere we know today. Read more on the Science website…