Currently, the maximum span for fully anchored chronology is a little over 11,000 years B.P. In 2004 a new radiocarbon calibration curve, INTCAL04, was internationally ratified to provide calibrated dates back to 26,000 B.P.

What are the limitations of dendrochronology?

In dendrochronology, the most serious limitation is that more variables affect tree growth and health than just moisture availability. Tree growth itself is very complex, as is interaction with the surrounding environment.

How far back can tree ring data go?

In many parts of the world, trees can provide a climate history for hundreds of years, with some extending back 1,000 years or more. The resulting climate histories enhance our knowledge of natural climate variability and also create a baseline against which human-induced climate change can be evaluated.

What was the tallest tree that ever existed?

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the tallest tree ever measured was a Eucalyptus regnans or gum tree from Victoria, Australia. A forester, William Ferguson, reported in 1872 that it was 435 ft. tall. Some have questioned the reliability of logging records almost 150 years old.