2000-Year-Old Date Palm Seeds Successfully Grown in Israel, Reviving Ancient History
Israel:A team of scientists has successfully grown date palms from seeds that are around 2,000 years old, unearthed from ancient sites in the Judean Desert, proving that seeds from millennia ago still have the potential to sprout into thriving trees.
According to *The Atlantic*, the groundbreaking research began in 2005 when the team attempted to grow seeds from the ancient fortress of Masada in Israel. Radiocarbon dating revealed that these seeds were nearly 2,000 years old. Led by Dr. Sarah Sallon from Hadassah Medical Center, the team’s experiment proved successful, marking the germination of the first plant from these ancient seeds – a date palm named *Methuselah*, after the biblical figure famous for his longevity.
The team collected seed samples from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, many of which came from archaeological sites in the region. Some seeds were better preserved than others, making them more suitable for the experiment.
In total, the team planted 32 of the best-preserved seeds in a small kibbutz in southern Israel. One of the team members, Elaine Soloway, soaked the ancient seeds in water and used commercial plant hormones and fertilizers. Remarkably, the protocol for planting these ancient seeds wasn’t much different from modern planting methods.
Out of the 32 seeds, six successfully sprouted into date palm trees, named Adam, Hanna, Oriel, Boaz, Yonah, and Judith. The longevity of date palms has been celebrated in Jewish history, with ancient Greek historian Herodotus mentioning the fruit in his writings and it being presented as a gift to Roman emperors each year.
The discovery of these plants’ genetic makeup could provide valuable insights into ancient agricultural practices. Moving forward, Dr. Sallon and her team plan to cross-pollinate *Methuselah* with *Hanna*, hoping to see flowers bloom within the next two years.
This remarkable achievement not only sheds light on the resilience of ancient plant life but also holds the potential for revitalizing ancient agricultural traditions in modern times.
