Tiny Fern from New Caledonia Holds Record for Largest Genome with 160 Billion Base Pairs

May 31, 2024, 05:00 PM

Scientists have discovered that a small, unassuming fern-like plant from New Caledonia holds the Guinness World Record for the largest genome of any organism on Earth. The fern, which grows on a few Pacific islands, has an extraordinary genome size of 160 billion base pairs, outstripping the human genome by more than 50 times. This discovery was made by scientists working on a small island east of Australia. The plant's genome measures more than 100 meters in every cell. Researchers hope that studying this New Caledonian fork fern and other giant genomes will shed light on species resilience.