Assessing the age of a living tree is straightforward enough—just ... (The rings of ancient bristlecone pines like Methuselah are more challenging to count, because the trunks are so distorted ...

Sparse ground cover means the threat of fire is greatly reduced, a danger further lessened by the relative paucity of dead bristlecone needles in a landscape where trees are few and far between.

Their scientific name is “Pinus Longaeva." The world's oldest living tree is "Methuselah." The tree's exact age is unknown, but experts believe it has been alive for close to 5,000 years ...