'Minecraft tree' found to be the tallest in the tropics

Fans of the computer game, Minecraft, may have already grown their own Yellow Meranti tree. But unlike on your computer screen, Yellow Meranti trees are huge and can grow to be as tall as 20 double-decker buses. Researchers have now found a tree in Malaysia which stands at a massive 89.5 metres tall, placing it 1.2 metres ahead of the previous record holder. The tree is part of the forest known as'Sabah's Lost World' - the Maliau Basin Conservation Area, one of Malaysia's last few untouched wildernesses The huge tree was discovered by scientists from the University of Cambridge working with the Sabah Forestry Department to help protect the area's biodiversity. Dr David Coomes, who led the study, said: 'It's a smidgen taller than the record, which makes it quite probably the tallest tree recorded in the Tropics!' At 89.5 metres, it is the height of 20 double decker buses, and just shorter than Big Ben.