A tree named Methuselah has been alive for over 4,850 years.

Methuselah lives in the Inyo National Forest at an elevation of about 10,000 feet. In 1957, a researcher named Edmund Schulman from the University of Arizona used a tool to count the tree rings. He found over 4,700 rings at that time. This means the tree started growing around 2833 BCE.The tree grows in a type of rock called dolomite. This soil has very few nutrients, so other plants cannot grow nearby. Because there are no other plants, forest fires cannot spread to the tree. This lack of competition helps the tree live longer.The wood of this tree is very dense and full of resin. This makes it too hard for bugs or fungus to eat. Even when parts of the tree die, the wood stays standing for hundreds of years instead of rotting. The tree grows very slowly, adding only about one inch of thickness every 100 years.The needles on the tree can stay green for up to 40 years. This helps the tree save energy. The United States Forest Service keeps the exact location of the tree a secret to keep it safe. These trees help scientists study the history of Earth's climate through their rings.