Prometheus (aka WPN-114) was the nickname given to the oldest known non-clonal organism, a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) tree 4,844 years old which formerly grew at tree line on Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada, USA. The tree was cut down in 1964 by a graduate student and U.S. Forest Service personnel for research purposes, who did not know of its world-record age before the cutting. The circumstances and decision making process leading to the felling of the tree remain controversial. There are different versions of the event, and not all of the basic facts are agreed upon by all involved. The nickname of the tree refers to the mythological figure Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. The designation WPN-114 was given by the original researcher, Donald R. Currey, and refers to the 114th tree sampled by him for his research in Nevada's White Pine county.
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