Scientists have discovered a fossil in southwest England of what they believe exists The oldest forest known to date .
The fossil in question was found by a team of researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Cardiff, BBC News reported.
The forms of plants found on the stone are “Calamophyton”, which scientists described as “prototypes” for the trees we see today, reaching a height of 2 to 4 meters.
They look like palm trees.
One of the authors of the study that revealed this discovery, Dr. Christopher Perry, explains that he was able to quickly identify the plants because of the past thirty years he spent studying this type of plant.
“The most significant discovery was being able to see these trees for the first time where they grew,” he explains in an interview with BBC News.
These fossils, in particular, show how these ancient trees helped define and stabilize the coastline there hundreds of millions of years ago.
At that time, this region was not located in the same place and belonged to Germany and Belgium.
