Tree from 2,000-year-old seed is doing well

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID , AP Science Writer, General Science / Biology

(AP) -- Just over three years old and about four-feet tall, Methuselah is growing well. "It's lovely," Dr. Sarah Sallon said of the date palm, whose parents may have provided food for the besieged Jews at Masada some 2,000 years ago.

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Posted by googleplex 06/12/08 18:53

Rank: 4.3/5 after 3 votes

The researchers have had a look at the plant's DNA, however, and found it shares just over half its genes with modern date cultivars.

This sounds too small and possibly incorrect. Different species can share 99% of DNA. So only having 50% DNA leaves a vast difference between the date palms.
Wonderful work and I look forward to authentic ancient dates in the stores. I expect this will spawn many attempts to grow ancient seeds.