The world's oldest accurately dated banyan tree, identified in 2026, is located in which Indian state?

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The correct answer is Option A: Bihar. A banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) in Munger, Bihar, has been identified as the world's oldest accurately dated banyan tree, with an estimated age of about 700 years. The tree's age was determined using high-precision radiocarbon dating of alpha-cellulose extracted from wood samples. Radiocarbon dating estimates the age of organic materials by measuring the decay of the radioactive isotope Carbon-14. Conventional dendrochronology is unreliable for banyan trees because they generally lack distinct annual growth rings. The study was led by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The research findings were published in the peer-reviewed international journal Quaternary Research, which focuses on the Quaternary Period of Earth's history. Ficus benghalensis, belonging to the Moraceae family, is the National Tree of India and is distinguished by its characteristic aerial prop roots. Alpha-cellulose is a stable component of wood widely used for high-accuracy radiocarbon dating of long-lived trees.

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West Bengal

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Uttar Pradesh

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Odisha

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Jharkhand

The world's oldest accurately dated banyan tree, identified in 2026, is located in which Indian state?

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The world's oldest accurately dated banyan tree, identified in 2026, is located in which Indian state?

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