Skip to main content

The oldest living things in the world

  • 2,201,039 Views
  • 776 Questions Answered
  • Best of Web

Let’s Begin…

The bristlecone pine, the yucca, the map lichen and stromatolites, what do they all have in common?  They just happen to be some of the most ancient organisms on the Earth.  What can we learn from the oldest living organisms on Earth that may help us in the future?  Watch this lesson from It's Okay to Be Smart and see what you come up with.  


Customize this lesson24

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Best of Web

TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.

Meet The Creators

Additional Resources for you to Explore
The bristlecone pine is one amazing tree!  This awesome video:  The bristlecone's fate will teach you a bit more about this icon of longevity.  

The world's oldest living things, a TED Talk by Rachel Sussman is another great resource to find out more about these ancient treasures.  Survivors is an article featuring Rachel Sussman and her quest to find the oldest living thing in New York City.  A Gallery of Tenacious Survivors from the New York Times features a few of Rachel's pictures from her book.  Take a look around this site that includes several enlightening interviews about experiences she encountered during her photographic excursions.  

Love photography?  Then, this is the link for you!  TIME Magazine's:  These are 11 of the Oldest Things in the World has a photogallery of ancient organisms for you to click through.  The World’s Oldest Living Things: A Decade-Long Photographic Masterpiece at the Intersection of Art, Science, and Philosophy from Brainpickings is a great final stop.  If only these organisms could talk...don't you wonder what they would say?
Next Section »
0 Guided Discussions
1 Open Discussion
Start a discussion
Avatar for Marcus Ruiz
Marcus Ruiz
What if the oldest things in the world disappear?
Think about it! No research of how life began, you cannot take pictures of it and post it on social media, and no understanding of how these things live for so long! So, answer, and think of what will happen if these marvelous beings disappear.
05/03/2020 • 
 1 Response
 / 1 Updates
View discussion

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Best of Web

TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.

Meet The Creators

More from Awesome Nature