One Tree in California Weighs More Than an Entire Pod of Blue Whales

General Sherman, a giant sequoia growing in Sequoia National Park in California, stands about 84 meters tall with a trunk over 31 meters around at its base.

By wood volume, it's recognized as the largest single living organism on Earth — estimates put it at more than 1,400 cubic meters of wood, amounting to a mass measured in thousands of tons.

The tree is estimated to be 2,200 to 2,700 years old — it started growing well before the birth of Christ and has survived countless fires, droughts, and climate shifts, partly thanks to its very thick, fire-resistant bark.

The bigger picture: giant sequoias, despite their impressive size, have surprisingly shallow root systems for their height — their stability doesn't come from deep roots, but from spreading wide and intertwining with the roots of neighboring trees.