homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Photographing the oldest living things in the world

Rachel Sussman is a contemporary artist who focuses on photographing the oldest living things in the world. As part of her project “The Oldest Living Things in the World” (creative, I know), she researches and works with biologists, traveling all over the world to take pictures of things older than 2000 years old. Stewart Brand calls her […]

Mihai Andrei
April 23, 2014 @ 5:27 am

share Share

Rachel Sussman is a contemporary artist who focuses on photographing the oldest living things in the world.

2SussmanLlareta

As part of her project “The Oldest Living Things in the World” (creative, I know), she researches and works with biologists, traveling all over the world to take pictures of things older than 2000 years old. Stewart Brand calls her work “the missing science of biological longevity.”

1SussmanHuonPine

I really, really love her pictures – not only are they beautiful, but they also serve a scientific purpose, and they raise awareness.

3SussmanAntarcticMoss

“All of these organisms have displayed remarkable resilience,” she said in an interview with the Mother Nature Network. “I do believe we have much to learn from them collectively and as individuals, and that it is not too late as humans to change the collision course we’re on. Perhaps by uncovering the past in the living present, we can help steward in a more sustainable future.”

spruce_0910_11a07

For more information on her and her projects, be sure to check out her website. All pictures credited to Rachel Sussman.

Welwitschia_0707_22411_txt

Lomatia_1211_clippings

Japanese Cedar tree. 2,180-7,000 years old.

Japanese Cedar tree. 2,180-7,000 years old.

coral_0210_4501_txt

Stroma_1211_0512

Stroma_MicobialMat_1211_p1030061

 

 

 

 

 

 

share Share

The Yule Cat: Forget Santa, Embrace the Dark Side of Icelandic Christmas

Not your average cat -- or your Christmas tradition.

Pluto in Focus: From Pixelated Smudge to Stunning, Geology-Rich World

NASA’s New Horizons mission revolutionized our view of Pluto, revealing a vibrant, geologically active world full of surprises.

From Wood to Rock: The Fascinating Process of Petrified Wood

Just like a number of creatures, wood can fossilize too.

The fascinating history (and science) of the freezing of Niagara Falls

Niagara doesn't completely freeze, per se. But big chunks of it

Picture of the day: fluorescent chicken embryo

This is a picture of a chicken embryo being fed through fluorescent-labeled blood vessels from the yolk.

Hubble captures dramatic outburst of space "volcano"

A binary system of a red giant and white dwarf is creating a spectacular show in R Aquarii.

The stunning history of the Fukang Pallasite meteorite

In the year 2,000, a Chinese dealer purchased an unusual-looking rock weighing around a ton. He cleaned it off, removing 20 kilograms (44 lb) from it, and then took the rock (a gleaming mass of crystals and iron) to a Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson, Arizona. At the show, Dr. Dante Lauretta, a professor […]

The stunning trail of darkness left behind by hurricane Helene

This was the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States since Maria in 2017

From Mafia Squirrels to Smooching Owlets: 'Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards' Reveals Hilarious Animal Photos

Smiling seals and crash-landing birds raise awareness for conservation through comedy.

Benbulbin: The Geology Behind Ireland’s Legendary Mountain

Ireland’s iconic table mountain has a fascinating geological history.