A tiny fern discovered on a remote Pacific island in New Caledonia has been identified as having the largest genome of any living organism on Earth.
The fern, known as Tmesipteris oblanceolata, now holds three Guinness World Record titles due to its extraordinary genetic makeup. If its DNA were unraveled, it would stretch just over 100 meters—taller than London’s iconic Big Ben tower. In comparison, human DNA would reach only about 2 meters if unraveled—the height of an average door.
This New Caledonian fern contains over 50 times more DNA packed into the nucleus of its cells than humans do. Scientists believe this remarkable discovery could provide new insights into plant genetics and evolution, as well as contribute to our understanding of genome size variation among living organisms.
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Record-breaking tiny fern has largest genome of any organism on Earth
cgtn.com
