The twisted shapes of these ancient bristlecone pine trees in California may explain their longevity Jeffrey R Badger/Getty Images
The twisted, deformed shapes of very old pine trees may be a sign of an exceptional ability to adapt to stress that has helped them live for more than 600 years.
Ancient trees are important because they store large amounts of carbon, hold records of the past climate and serve as pillars of forest ecosystems. “Like old people in human societies, they connect everything,” says Sergi Munné-Bosch at the University of Barcelona in Spain.
Munné-Bosch …
