"It is possibly the biggest living thing on earth."

It's possible, but not very likely:

Welcome to the Cellar eander315. :D

I've read that claim, largest living thing, about a number of things. The trouble is, it's almost impossible to prove, because they're comparing apples and oranges... and pomegranates, and rutabagas, etc.

I'm not as trunk as you dhink I am.

Yea, just ask LJ. :D

Really? I make new cells every day, but my body looks distinctly 37 all over. Minimum. Wouldn't the movement of the sap ensure a similar effect? can you only carbondate the very center of a tree to get the true age? 'Cause if so, we'll never know, even when it's very, very dead.

Punters are customers to a Brit.

*thinks* mmm. Must upload picture of ex-wife to wikipedia

Hey, so do we!!!!

Concerning the "largest living thing on earth"...

I remember reading a few years ago about a fungus that was found in Wisconsin (I think) that covered (above and below ground) something like over 400 acres. One continuous (contiguous?) fungus type thingy. But, I guess it's all in how you measure "the largest living thing on earth".:right:

There is an armillaria fungus in the Malheur Forest in Oregon that is bigger than the armillaria fungus in the Great North Woods at an estimated 2,200 acres. Hard to measure though, as it is mostly underground. (Mycelium is the fungus, the mushrooms are like fruit.) Apples and oranges. Or fungii and trees.

Oh and a fungal tidbit:
Moreover, while humans and most species are divided into only two sexes, mushrooms contain over 36,000 sexes.

There's an orgy goin' on in them woods.

I've heard tell of some in South America, I think, that were even larger.