From the Bronze Age to the AI Era: The Timeless Olive Tree of Vouves
The Olive tree of Vouves, located in the village of Ano Vouves in Crete, Greece, is one of the oldest olive trees in the world. Due to the lack of an agreed-upon scientific method to ascertain the age of olive trees, the tree's exact age is a subject of debate, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 years. However, scientists from the University of Crete have estimated it to be as old as 4,000 years.
The tree's trunk, which has a perimeter of 12.5 m and a diameter of 4.6 m, is now hollow as the heartwood is gradually rotting away. Despite this, the olive tree is renewed outward, a process that has made it a symbol of immortality since ancient times.
The Olive Tree of Vouves sprouted when lions were roaming in Greece, and a few mammoths were still walking on Earth. Someone in China was playing with bronze, and Homer was telling the story of a legendary conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans over a beautiful woman.
The olive tree saw the Minoans build large and complex palaces and tell tragic tales of love, betrayal, and revenge. It will live to see the era of artificial intelligence.
All I can hope for is that it will be able to endure climate change.
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