In a sweet tea-colored swamp in Bladen County, North Carolina there is a group of trees that has intrigued researchers for decades. Scientists knew the bald cypress trees that sprouted up from the Black River were old, and a new study reveals a number of the trees date back millennia. One tree is at least 2,624 years old. The bald cypress' remarkable age reveal information about climate history in the region, including whether the people who lived in the area experienced significant droughts. Host Frank Stasio speaks with David Stahle , a professor in the department of geosciences at the University of Arkansas. Stahle is the lead investigator on a new study published in the journal "Environmental Research Communications." Note: This program originally aired June 6, 2019.