Discover the Trembling Giant: Secrets of the Pando Forest

'Pando' means I spread or I expand in Latin, and this name perfectly encapsulates an amazing natural spectacle. Explore any random patch of the Pando forest and you would assume you are inside an aspen grove like any other, with hundreds of trees around you. Though each bark seems like an individual tree, what's incredibly fascinating is that every single one of them shares the same root system beneath the ground. As such, while each 'tree' appears different above ground level - with varying heights, girths and leaf patterns - they all share identical genetic compositions. Each stem or 'tree' remains genetically identical to every other stem. Covering 106 acres and possessing over 40,000 individual trunks (which are technically stems), Pando's singular root system weighs nearly 6 million kilograms making it arguably one of the heaviest known organisms on Earth. It’s estimated that the Pando has been around for at least 80,000 to 1 million years! While awe-inspiring, the Pando is also gravely endangered. Encroachment by humans have punched holes into its terrain while much of it grows old without new younger ones sprouting into their places. Other factors include grazing by mule deer and cattle preventing young trees from growing. In recent years efforts have been introduced to save this natural wonder; fences have been erected around part of it keeping away grazers giving saplings chance to grow unfettered. Scientists are hopeful these measures will help see The Trembling Giant continue to live on for future generations to look upon and marvel.