A petrified tree, 20 million years old, 62 feet high, discovered in Greece, with branches and roots still intact, has been preserved by an ancient volcanic eruption
- A 62-foot petrified tree was discovered during roadworks in western Lesbos
- It is the first fossil tree in the region to have branches in good condition
- The orientation of the tree confirms that there is a second volcano on the island
- Some petrified trees are so real that the bark and cellular structures are visible
Scientists in Greece have discovered a rare fossilized tree, with its branches and roots still intact after millions of years.
The 62-foot tree was found during roadworks near an ancient forest on the island of Lesbos, which was petrified by a volcanic eruption about 20 million years ago.
Petrified wood is actually a fossil formed when a tree is covered in volcanic ash and its organic remains are slowly replaced by minerals.
The tree was removed from the road using a special splint and a metal platform and will be exposed in the next few months.
It is the first time a preserved tree has been found in such good condition in the area since excavations began in 1995.
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A 62-meter-long petrified tree was discovered on the Greek island of Lesbos with its branches and roots still intact. Scientists linked the fossil to a volcanic eruption about 20 million years ago
Nikos Zouros, a geomorphologist at the Lesbos Petrified Forest Museum of Natural History, called it “a unique discovery.”
“So far, no suitable trunk of a fossilized tree with intact branches has been found, which has been kept in good condition to this day,” Zouros said.
“It is preserved in excellent condition and from the study of fossilized wood we will be able to identify the type of plant from which it comes.”
Protected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Lesbos ‘37,000-acre petrified forest is the result of a volcanic eruption 20 million years ago that stifled Lesbos’ subtropical lava ecosystem.
According to researchers, the orientation of the trunk confirms the existence of the second volcano on Lesbos
After it fell, the tree was preserved by a thick layer of volcanic ash.
A large number of fruit tree leaves were found in the same place, as well as various animal bones.
“During the excavations, the various forests that existed 17-20 million years ago on Lesbos are discovered and we can reconstruct the ecosystem that existed at that time,” Zouros said.
The well-preserved trunk was discovered during demolition work on asphalt along the Kalloni-Sigri road in western Lesbos.
This is the first time a preserved tree has been found in such good condition in the area since excavations began in 1995.
“It is preserved in excellent condition and from the study of fossilized wood we will be able to identify the type of plant from which it comes,” say researchers
“The tree is in its initial position of growth and it seems that the force of the volcanic eruption placed it on the ground where it was found,” said Zouros.
The orientation of the trunk confirms the existence of a second volcano on the island, he added.
Petrified wood is created when plant material is so buried in sediment that it is protected from degradation caused by microorganisms.
The original substance of the plant is eventually replaced by minerals such as silica, pyrite, calcite, according to Geology.com, resulting in a fossil that can preserve details of the bark of the tree and even details of its cellular structures.
Petrified wood is created when plant material is so buried in sediment that it is protected from degradation caused by microorganisms.
Another petrified tree from the Petrified Forest National Park in Lesbo. Some trees are so well preserved that even the bark and cellular structures are still visible
Some petrified wood is so “realistic”, it is not obvious that they are fossils until someone tries to pick them up.
Petrified trees can provide rare information on ecosystems millions of years ago: in August, Peruvian scientists discovered a petrified tree dating back about 10 million years, indicating how the environment in the Andes has changed dramatically over the years. of time.
Although the fossil was found at more than 13,000 feet above sea level, its anatomy is very similar to that of wood found in low-lying tropical forests.