What’s the Oldest Living Thing?
CrowdScience
BBC
4.8 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 2 June 2017
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Trees transcend human generations – but are they the oldest living things on Earth? CrowdScience listener William from London, UK, got in touch to ask what the oldest tree or other organism on our planet is. Presenter Marnie Chesterton heads out to meet one of our older arboreal cousins to see how we can work out its age - without cutting it down to count the rings. But whilst certain individual trees can live for thousands of years, some that live in colonies can survive for much longer – perhaps up to 80,000 years old. Along the way, Marnie asks what other organisms contend for this title, what the word ‘oldest’ really means, and even ponders whether some creatures could actually be immortal.
Do you have a question we can turn into a programme? Email us at crowdscience@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Jen Whyntie
(Image: Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Credit: Getty Images)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of |
| 0:07.0 | Happiness Podcast. |
| 0:08.0 | For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want |
| 0:14.4 | to share that science with you. |
| 0:16.1 | And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley. |
| 0:19.4 | I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that |
| 0:25.4 | calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. Oh wow that is quite an impressive tree that's massive I really need to try and put my arms around this. I mean I can't but let's see how many times a hug fits around this tree. |
| 0:50.0 | One, two. |
| 0:53.0 | two. |
| 0:54.0 | Three. |
| 0:57.0 | Six. |
| 0:58.0 | Six. Six. |
| 0:59.0 | Seven. |
| 1:01.0 | Eight. |
| 1:02.0 | That's eight arm spans worth of trunk. |
| 1:05.0 | That's really good. |
| 1:07.0 | Hello and welcome to crowd science on the BBC World Service. I'm Marnie Chesterton and this is the show that takes your questions about life, Earth and the universe |
| 1:19.4 | to researchers hunting for answers all over the world. |
| 1:22.4 | Today I'm standing under a |
| 1:24.4 | magnificent gnarly looking tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London and |
| 1:29.8 | that's because of a question from listener William in the UK. |
| 1:35.0 | Hello, Crowd Science on the BBC World Service. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.