Giant fossilized tree discovered on Lesvos
Excavations within the petrified prehistoric forest of western Lesvos have revealed a 12-meter-long fossilized tree trunk in excellent condition, a report from the eastern Aegean island said yesterday. The relic was discovered last month by scientists from the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, and was probably part of a Taxodioxylon Gypsaceum conifer, a precursor of the modern coast redwood sequoia – the tallest tree in the world with a maximum height of 111 meters. According to the Athens News Agency, the 12-meter-long trunk is 1.6 meters in diameter and was discovered near the village of Sigri, inside the national park enclosing the extensive remains of the prehistoric forest, which is up to 20 million years old. Last December’s excavations revealed a 13.7-meter-long and 3.7-meter-wide tree. The National Meteorological Service warned yesterday that that very low temperatures and heavy snowfall would affect all of Greece – except for the Ionian Islands, Epirus and western Macedonia – today and tomorrow.
