Earth's Leafy Legacy: New Study Reveals There Are More Trees Than Stars in the Milky Way
A new study has found that there are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The research, which was conducted by a team of scientists from Yale University, is the first of its kind to estimate the total number of trees on the planet. According to the study, there are approximately 3.04 trillion trees on Earth, which is seven times more than previous estimates. In comparison, there are only an estimated 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The study also found that while the number of trees on Earth has decreased by almost half since the beginning of human civilization, there are still more trees on the planet today than there were 12,000 years ago. The researchers used a combination of satellite imagery, ground-based measurements, and computer modeling to estimate the number of trees on Earth. They found that the majority of trees are located in tropical and subtropical forests, with the Amazon basin alone containing more than 400 billion trees. The study has important implications for the health of the planet, as trees play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate, storing carbon, and providing habitats for wildlife. The researchers hope that their findings will help to inform conservation efforts and promote the importance of protecting the world's forests.
