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| Fossil of oldest pine tree discovered | Fossil of oldest pine tree discovered |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Scientists have discovered the oldest-known fossil of a pine tree. | Scientists have discovered the oldest-known fossil of a pine tree. |
| The charred pine twigs date back 140 million years to a time when fires raged across large tracts of land. | The charred pine twigs date back 140 million years to a time when fires raged across large tracts of land. |
| Pine trees now dominate the forests of the Northern Hemisphere. | Pine trees now dominate the forests of the Northern Hemisphere. |
| The research suggests the tree's evolution was shaped in the fiery landscape of the Cretaceous, where oxygen levels were much higher than today, fuelling intense and frequent wildfires. | The research suggests the tree's evolution was shaped in the fiery landscape of the Cretaceous, where oxygen levels were much higher than today, fuelling intense and frequent wildfires. |
| "Pines are well adapted to fire today," said Dr Howard Falcon-Lang of Royal Holloway, University of London, who discovered the fossils in Nova Scotia, Canada. | "Pines are well adapted to fire today," said Dr Howard Falcon-Lang of Royal Holloway, University of London, who discovered the fossils in Nova Scotia, Canada. |
| "The fossils show that wildfires raged through the earliest pine forests and probably shaped the evolution of this important tree." | "The fossils show that wildfires raged through the earliest pine forests and probably shaped the evolution of this important tree." |
| Serendipitous find | Serendipitous find |
| The specimens, which are described in Geology journal, were preserved as charcoal within specimens from a quarry. | The specimens, which are described in Geology journal, were preserved as charcoal within specimens from a quarry. |
| "It was only when I digested [the specimens] in acid that these beautiful fossils fell out," Dr Falcon-Land told BBC News. | "It was only when I digested [the specimens] in acid that these beautiful fossils fell out," Dr Falcon-Land told BBC News. |
| "They were sitting in my cupboard for five years before I actually worked out what was there." | "They were sitting in my cupboard for five years before I actually worked out what was there." |
| Plant oddities | Plant oddities |
| The fossils are just a few mm long but probably came from trees resembling the Scots Pine that now cover large areas of Scotland. | |
| Pines are well adapted to fire, containing inflammable deadwood that makes them burn easily. | Pines are well adapted to fire, containing inflammable deadwood that makes them burn easily. |
| They also produce cones that will only germinate after being scorched, ensuring a new generation of trees is seeded after the fire has passed by and other vegetation has been destroyed. | They also produce cones that will only germinate after being scorched, ensuring a new generation of trees is seeded after the fire has passed by and other vegetation has been destroyed. |
| Scientists have debated why they seem to thrive on wildfires for many years. | Scientists have debated why they seem to thrive on wildfires for many years. |
| "One of the oddities about pine trees today is that they are one of the most fire adapted species on our planet," explained Dr Falcon-Lang. | "One of the oddities about pine trees today is that they are one of the most fire adapted species on our planet," explained Dr Falcon-Lang. |
| "These oldest pine fossils are preserved as charcoal, the product of fire, suggesting that the co-occurrence of fire and pines is something that's very ancient, that goes back to the very origin of these first pine trees." | "These oldest pine fossils are preserved as charcoal, the product of fire, suggesting that the co-occurrence of fire and pines is something that's very ancient, that goes back to the very origin of these first pine trees." |
| Dr Falcon-Lang plans to return to the quarry this summer to recover more specimens. | Dr Falcon-Lang plans to return to the quarry this summer to recover more specimens. |
| He hopes to find fossils of flowering plants, which were evolving at the same time as the ancient pines. | He hopes to find fossils of flowering plants, which were evolving at the same time as the ancient pines. |
| Follow Helen on Twitter. | Follow Helen on Twitter. |