Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The location of the world's tallest tree is kept secret from all but a select few scientists.

The location of the world's tallest tree is kept secret from all but a select few scientists.

The tree, called Hyperion, is the tallest known tree in the world, and is hiding somewhere in California. At 379 feet, it’s about twice the size of the Statue of Liberty. Kept secret since its discovery, all that is known of its location is that it’s somewhere in Redwood National Park.

A team of scienti
sts led by Humboldt State University ecologist Steve Sillet climbed to the very top of the tree and used a long roll of measuring tape to determine the height. There’s even a video of the tree on YouTube. Naturally, people want to photograph it, climb it, and carve it, so it’s being kept secret.

Of course it’s only the tallest tree in the world- not the biggest. If total volume is considered, there are many bigger ones in California. Del Norte Titan, one of these trees, has a mass equivalent to 15 blue whales. Every year, that tree grows enough new wood to make a 90 foot tall tree. If cut down, it could make 120 houses.

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