In a surprising discovery, scientists have revived an ancient seed that dates back nearly a thousand years. Now transformed into a tree, this rare tree is 10 feet tall and has been named “Sheba” after a famous biblical queen.
The seed was found during an excavation in the Judean Desert in the 1980s and is estimated to be between 993 AD and 1202 AD.
Scientists say the seed belongs to a species of tree mentioned in the Bible that was found in present-day Israel, Palestine and Jordan.
Although “Shiba” has no fragrance, its leaves have been found to have chemical properties that may be effective against inflammation and cancer.
Scientists conducted a chemical analysis of the tree’s leaves, which revealed that the compounds contained in it have antioxidant and skin-smoothing properties.
Scientists are not entirely sure about the species of the sheba tree as it has not yet produced flowers or reproductive material. They hope that if any species of Commiphora exist in the present day, they can also be discovered.