Can science restore the once-dominant American chestnut?

Science · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: At the end of the 19th century, a devastating fungus decimated the American chestnut population. This video explores the ongoing scientific efforts to revive this endangered species and return it to its former glory.

The American chestnut was once widespread across the United States, but its population was largely wiped out by a fungal outbreak in the late 1800s. Researchers are now investigating various methods to bring these trees back from the brink of extinction.

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