The tremendous importance of trees on our planet cannot be overestimated. The larger the tree, the more it absorbs carbon dioxide. A new study found the tallest known tree in the Amazon, rising to a height of 88.5 meters, according to the University of Cambridge website.
The group of giant trees was discovered by Professor Eric Gorgens using LIDAR, a remote sensing technique using a laser scanner on an aircraft. They grow in a remote region of northern Brazil, far from human activities. The trees can be over 400 years old. Interestingly, they all belong to the same species - Dinizia Excelsa, known in Portuguese as Angelim Vermelho.
Toby Jackson, Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge Conservation Institute, joined Professor Gorgens on an expedition to these giants. The team checked the height of the tallest tree and collected samples to try to understand what makes this forest so special.
