Fact Checking Science.gov and NASA.gov
Science.gov Trivia Question of the Day: August 20, 2013
Question: According to NASA, what is the largest living organism visible from Earth orbit? Answer: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
“The Great Barrier Reef extends for 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) along the northeastern coast of Australia. It is not a single reef, but a vast maze of reefs, passages and coral cays (islands that are part of the reef). The white calcium carbonate that coats the living coral reflects light, making the water above the reef appear bright blue from space. This phenomenon allows the reef to be the largest living organism visible in National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) satellite photos and videos …”
Keith’s note: Wrong. Coral reefs are collections of lots of organisms of many different species – not a single organism. “The largest living organism visible from Earth orbit” is most likely Pando – although larger examples may be awaiting discovery.
Pando (tree), Wikipedia
“Pando (Latin for “I spread”), also known as The Trembling Giant, is a clonal colony of a single male quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) determined to be a single living organism by identical genetic markers and one massive underground root system. The plant is estimated to weigh collectively 6,000,000 kg (6,600 short tons), making it the heaviest known organism. The root system of Pando, at an estimated 80,000 years old, is among the oldest known living organisms.”
Then again, there’s this:
http://www.scientificameric…
Yes but it is totally underground and you cannot see it from space.
You might want to go back and read everything again. The main point was about being able to see something from space. You cannot see this underground network from space. You can see the trees. FWIW there are other large underground networks that I also did not mention because they are underground.
k then – so it is the largest known organism that can’t be seen from space! Still something….
Yes but the point was?
Read what was posted. I can’t help you beyond that.
Hi Keith. No, my criticism was directed to meekGee not you. He changed the rules to biggest living creature … whereas you were talking about single organism viewable from space.
I know the GBR is comprised of many millions of organisms dead and living and I was supporting your view and initial complaint.
Cheers
I remember reading about the aspens, very cool stuff. What if the roots aren’t connected? There is probably room for arguing but I would agree that reefs shouldn’t be counted as one organism, though I’ve heard that one before. It’s interesting that they are an animal though and not a plant. I guess the reefs might be the only animals visible from space (or evidence thereof).
Now we need an ISS crew member to take a photo of Pando (in the Fall) and make a new declaration.
Cool info. I didn’t know that. It would be more convincing if we could do some type of underground imagery that would prove that it had a single underground root system.
Bob Clark