World’s deepest canyon is home to Asia’s tallest tree – and Chinese scientists only just found it

Published

2 years ago

June 22, 2023

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A cypress tree in China is the tallest tree ever discovered in Asia. It is also believed to be the second-tallest tree in the world, standing at an astonishing 335 feet (102 meters) tall. At this height, the tree would tower over the Statue of Liberty, which stands at 305 feet (93 m).

The gigantic cypress was discovered in May by a Peking University research team at the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon nature reserve in Bome County, Nyingchi City, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, according to a statement released by the university.

The species the cypress belongs to is unclear, although Chinese state media publications suggested it is either a Himalayan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) or a Tibetan cypress (Cupressus gigantea).

The tree is 9.6 feet (2.9 m) in diameter, according to the state-run Chinese publication the People’s Daily Online.

This full length image shows the huge cypress tree from top to bottom. (Image credit: Peking University )

Before this discovery, Asia’s tallest tree was a 331-foot-tall (101 m) yellow meranti (Shorea faguetiana) located in the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah, Malaysia.

The Tibet Autonomous Region has a unique ecosystem that is increasingly influenced by development and global climate change. However, the area — and in particular Nyingchi City — has recently been the focus of conservation efforts to protect flora and fauna. The Peking University researchers have documented tall trees in the region to better understand the area’s environmental diversity and to help ecological protection efforts, the statement said.

In May last year, the team found a 272-foot-tall (83 m) fir tree in southwest China, which they initially believed was the largest tree in China. The team also uncovered a 252-foot (77 m) tree in Medog County a month earlier.

Related: The oldest tree in the world (and the 7 runner-ups)

Continuing their survey this year, the researchers used drones, lasers and radar equipment to map out the trees in the area and identify their heights from the ground.

After days of field surveys, the cypress was found and confirmed as the tallest tree in Asia. Using drones, a 3D laser scanner and lidar technology — which uses light beams to provide distance measurements — the team created a 3D model of the enormous tree, providing accurate dimensions. Using this, they confirmed it was the tallest tree in Asia.

A 3D image showing the cypress tree in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. (Image credit: Peking University)

Guo Qinghua, a professor at the Institute of Remote Sensing of Peking University, told state newspaper the Global Times that the tree is interesting because its supporting roots are not completely buried underground. The tree also has a complex branching system that provides “ideal microclimates and habitats for some endangered plants and animals,” a university statement said. RELATED STORIES—When did Earth’s first forests emerge?

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Currently, the tallest tree in the world is an 381-foot (116 m) coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) in the Redwood National Park in California. The tree, estimated to be between 600 and 800 years old and nicknamed Hyperion after one of the Titans in Greek mythology, was discovered in 2006.

Last year, the U.S. Park Service decided to limit public access to Hyperion after visitors were found climbing the tree and left waste in the area, which damaged the surrounding undergrowth.

Politics

Utah could be first US state to pass Bitcoin reserve bill: Satoshi Action Fund

Published

3 hours ago

February 3, 2025

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Utah could be first US state to pass Bitcoin reserve bill: Satoshi Action Fund

Utah’s Bitcoin reserve bill could be the first of its kind to pass at the state level in the US because of its shorter legislative window to decide on bills, says a Bitcoin advocate.

Technology

Bitcoin slides toward $90,000 after Trump orders tariffs

Published

3 hours ago

February 3, 2025

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Bitcoin slides toward ,000 after Trump orders tariffs

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Bitcoin.

Cheney Orr | Dado Ruvic | Reuters

Cryptocurrencies tumbled on Sunday in a risk-off move after President Donald Trump hit Canada, Mexico and China with long-threatened import tariffs.

The price of bitcoin was last lower by 7% at $93,768.66, according to Coin Metrics. The CoinDesk 20 index, which measures the largest 20 digital assets by market cap, dropped 19%. Ether slumped 20% to its lowest level since November.

The slide began Saturday night after Trump signed an order imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10% duty on China, which will take effect Tuesday. The U.S. does about $1.6 trillion in business with the three countries.

Jeff Park, Bitwise Asset Management’s head of alpha strategies, said a sustained tariff war will be “amazing” for bitcoin in the long-run due to an eventual weakening of the dollar and U.S. rates.

While many believe bitcoin is a hedge against inflation and uncertainty over the long term, it trades like a risk asset in the short term — and is likely to respond negatively to any uncertainty around the trade war triggered by Trump’s tariffs.

Investors are watching $90,000 as the key support level in bitcoin, and some have warned of an even deeper pullback toward $80,000 should the cryptocurrency meaningfully break below its support.

Bitcoin is about 16% off its Jan. 20 record of $109,350.72. Seasoned crypto investors and traders have become accustomed over the years to corrections of around 30% during bull markets.

Don’t miss these cryptocurrency insights from CNBC Pro:

Business

Keir Starmer’s 1,000 jobs pledge could take 20 years, GB Energy boss admits

Published

3 hours ago

February 3, 2025

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Keir Starmer's 1,000 jobs pledge could take 20 years, GB Energy boss admits

The boss of GB Energy has told Sky News it could take 20 years to deliver a Labour government pledge of 1,000 jobs for Aberdeen.

Sir Keir Starmer promised voters his flagship green initiative, which will be headquartered in the northeast of Scotland, would cut consumer energy bills by as much as £300.

It is one of Labour’s five key missions for this parliament after a manifesto commitment to “save families hundreds of pounds on their bills, not just in the short term, but for good”.

In his first broadcast interview, Juergen Maier, appointed by Downing Street as GB Energy’s start-up chairman, suggested this was a “very long-term project” spanning decades and repeatedly refused to say when household prices would be slashed.

“I know that you are asking me for a date as to when I can bring that, but GB Energy has only just been brought into creation and we will bring energy bills down,” Mr Maier said.

The state-owned company will not supply power to homes but it will invest in new renewable projects while attempting to attract private investors.

Aberdeen HQ ‘nervous’

Labour hopes GB Energy will help workers move from oil and gas and has pledged 1,000 jobs for Aberdeen, where the initiative will be based.

Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce told Sky News the estimated 50,000 local people currently employed in the industry are “nervous”.

Chief executive Russell Borthwick said: “I think the [GB Energy] ambition is good. It needs some quick wins.

“Right now, this city is nervous. We need to give the industry more confidence that things are going to start moving more quickly.

“What we do have is not a great deal of progress. We’ve had a lot of positive meetings with GB Energy. I think we are really looking over the next six months for that to be delivered on.”

1,000 jobs in 20 years? ‘Absolutely’

It comes after Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP recently said the UK government had “not moved away” from an ambition of creating “over 1,000 jobs”.

Sky News pushed Mr Maier for clarity on this pledge given the looming crisis in the North Sea industry.

He said: “Great British Energy itself is going to create over the next five years, 200 or 300 jobs in Aberdeen. That will be the size of our team. I have said in the very long term when we become a major energy champion it may be many more than that.”

Pressed to define “long term”, he replied: “Look, we grow these companies. Energy companies grow over 10 or 20 years, and we are going to be around in 20 years.”

He said “absolutely” when asked directly if it could take two decades to fulfil the commitment of 1,000 jobs.

‘Huge risk of not delivering’

Unions told Sky News there is a risk of GB Energy over-promising and under-delivering.

Unite’s Scottish Secretary Derek Thomson said: “If you look at how many jobs are going to go in the northeast, if GB energy does not pick up the pace and start to move workers in there and start to create proper green jobs, then I’m afraid we could be looking at a desolation of the northeast.”

Prospect, which represents more than 22,000 workers across the energy industry, said the current vision seems risky.

Richard Hardy, Scotland secretary, said: “I don’t want to be accused of cynicism, but I do want to see a plan.

“If what happens is that it only creates 200 or 300 jobs, then I think most people would see that as being a failure. There is a huge risk for them in not actually delivering.

“They must understand the political risk they are taking in doing this. It has to be a success for them because otherwise it is going to be a stick to beat them with.”