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What is the oldest living organism on the planet?

bbc.com

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Re: What is the oldest living organism on the planet?

#51

Post by Karellen »

qbrass wrote: post #45
mtdewcmu wrote: post #37

It seems that one could argue that the first single-celled organism has never died. Single-celled organisms reproduce by dividing, and there's no distinction between parent and offspring, right? So if any offspring survives, then the original organism arguably has not died.

And when it becomes a multi-celled organism through various mutations? If you could trace your lineage back to the first single-celled organism, would that make you the oldest lifeform on the planet?

There's a good argument to be made that organisms which reproduce with haploid gametes (animals and plants) truly generate "new" individuals when the sperm and egg fuse to create the first cell with a nucleus containing a truly unique genotype. However, organisms that reproduce by fission, where one complete living cell divides into two identical complete living cells (minor single-site mutations aside) have a much stronger case to claim that they are both still "the same" organism, as old as the original. So, no, you aren't the oldest organism on the planet, but many bacteria could be considered to be a billion or two years old.

Re: What is the oldest living organism on the planet?

#52

Post by vacri »

codazoda wrote: post #25

There was a tree. Someone was trying to check it's age and his bit got stuck. He cut the tree down to retrieve his bit, finding the tree to be the oldest living (something). I don't have a link. Probably on Atlas Obscura.

This link has some info on that: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40224991

Re: What is the oldest living organism on the planet?

#54

Post by bcbrown »

TACIXAT wrote: post #15
Diederich wrote: post #9

The main Bristlecone Pine grove in California is a lovely place. It sits near 10,000 feet, and yet is pretty easy to drive to. It's about five or six hours east of the SF bay area, depending on whether Tioga pass is open or not. (This year, the pass will be opening quite late.) I strongly encourage a visit if at all possible. It is truly like another world up there, and the silence is magnificent.

While I was there I asked how the trees got so old (3000 - 5000 years), if it was a special kind of tree or what. The ranger told us that trees don't die of age, if they have roots, bark, and leaves, they can keep on going. It was the environment of that area that allowed the trees to grow live so long. It's relatively high elevation, so there are few bugs and other predators. The biggest threat they faced was from e…

> The biggest threat they faced was from erosion

I've always thought that was incredibly cool. These trees live so long that a primary cause of death is the mountain literally eroding away from beneath them.

Re: What is the oldest living organism on the planet?

#59

Post by sophacles »

Karellen wrote: post #51
qbrass wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And when it becomes a multi-celled organism through various mutations? If you could trace your lineage back to the first single-celled organism, would that make you the oldest lifeform on the planet?

There's a good argument to be made that organisms which reproduce with haploid gametes (animals and plants) truly generate "new" individuals when the sperm and egg fuse to create the first cell with a nucleus containing a truly unique genotype. However, organisms that reproduce by fission, where one complete living cell divides into two identical complete living cells (minor single-site mutations aside) have a much s…

It always amuses me how rapidly discussions about life (define life, what constitutes a different species or organism) end up at ancient philosophical discussions. In this case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus is just a breath away! (In this case: would those cells be a billion or two years old? Have all of their atoms been replaced at this point? Does it matter?)

Re: What is the oldest living organism on the planet?

#60

Post by mod »

mtdewcmu wrote: post #37

It seems that one could argue that the first single-celled organism has never died. Single-celled organisms reproduce by dividing, and there's no distinction between parent and offspring, right? So if any offspring survives, then the original organism arguably has not died.

Well, the first of any living generation, sure.

We don't know that the first organism made it, perhaps it didn't. Or perhaps it divided many times before its line died out.

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