Bihar Banyan Identified as World’s Oldest Accurately Dated Banyan

### Why in News? - Researchers reported that a **banyan tree in Munger, Bihar**, is about **700 years old**, making it the world’s oldest accurately dated known banyan specimen in the study. ### Key Details - Scientists from the **Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow** used **radiocarbon dating** to estimate its age. - Such dating is especially useful for tropical trees where conventional annual growth rings may be absent or unreliable. - The finding shows how scientific dating can help identify and document **heritage trees**. ### Exam Connect - **Radiocarbon dating** → Estimates age by measuring the decay of radioactive carbon-14 in organic material.