It may sound unbelievable, and even inconceivable, but would you believe that Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree is still growing today? That’s some three hundred and fifty years after the now famous, and might we also say groundbreaking incident which spurned his theory on gravity.
Now, if you don’t know the story about Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree and his theory on gravity, we’ll lay it out quickly for you here. In the late summer of 1666, Newton reportedly saw an apple fall from a tree. There are a few rumors that it struck him on the head, but there’s no firm evidence of which to go by on that specific claim.
The falling of the apple from the tree spurned his interest in what makes things fall to the ground. WHat this magical property is, and why it’s relatively easy to break it, even if momentarily, such as jumping or throwing items into the air. This single moment in scientific history became one of the most defining moments, ranking up there with Albert Einstein and his theories and those of Charles Darwin. It was a cornerstone of science as we know it today.
Anyway, back to our original fact that Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree is still growing today. This incident happened way back in 1666. That’s an incredible 350 years ago. Now, we know that trees can grow for a very long time, but this is pretty mind-boggling. That tree would not have been a mere sapling at the time, it would have been at the very least a decade old. That would make it even closer to the four hundred year old mark than before. EVen more remarkably, it’s still bearing fruit to this very day, and is regularly pruned to keep it healthy.
How do we know that tree is the one that inspired him? Alas, at the time there was but only one apple tree growing in his garden, so it was not hard to spot, and it’s still growing in the very same spot today.
If you’d like to see Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree it’s still growing in the very same spot as it was all those years ago can be found at Woolsthorpe Manor in the UK.
