About this episode
This episode explores the concept of the oldest living thing on Earth, examining various organisms and the science behind their longevity.
Today I explore one of the most fascinating questions in biology, evolution, and longevity : what is the oldest living thing on Earth? We tend to think of long-lived animals like tortoises or whales… but the truth gets much stranger once you zoom out. From the Greenland shark and 500-year-old clams , to ancient bristlecone pine trees , massive clonal organisms like Pando , and even deep underground microbial life , the definition of “oldest” starts to break down. This episode dives into: The longest-living animals ever recorded How scientists use radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology to measure age The difference between an individual organism vs a clonal system The science behind biological immortality And why the answer depends entirely on how you define life itself If you’re interested in science facts, extreme longevity, weird biology, evolution, or mind-blowing nature facts , this one’s for you. Follow along as we break down one of the most deceptively simple questions in science… and why it doesn’t have a simple answer. So there you have it. Sources Nielsen, J., Hedeholm, R. B., Heinemeier, J., Bushnell, P. G., Christiansen, J. S., Olsen, J., Ramsey, C. B., Brill, R. W…
People in this episode
Host: Gordy
Topics covered
- biology
- evolution
- longevity
- oldest living things
- clonal organisms
- biological immortality
Keywords
- long-lived animals
- Greenland shark
- radiocarbon dating
- dendrochronology
- clonal systems
- microbial life
- extreme longevity
- weird biology
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Science
Books & works: What Is the Oldest Living Thing on Earth?
Places: Greenland, Pando, Earth
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