XPost: alt.history, alt.science
https://greekreporter.com/2024/03/07/fossilized-forest-oldest-ever-discovered/
A recent study published in the Journal of the Geological
Society revealed a surprising find: fossilized trees
discovered in southwest England are now considered Earth’s
earliest-known forest. These ancient trees, dating back
390 million years, surpass the previously recognized oldest
forest located in New York, which is 386 million years old.
Neil Davies, the lead researcher of the study, pointed out
that this new discovery sheds light on the evolution of
forests. It suggests that within a relatively short span
of a few million years, forests progressed from being
rather primitive to becoming well-established ecosystems.
. . .
"Trees" as we know them took awhile to develop. Before
that "forests" were mostly 'fern-like' veggies - traces
of which can be seen in coal deposits.
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