"This branch was from the last tree”.

This 1908 note left by botanist and explorer C. Scottsberg marks the final record of the now-extinct Chile sandalwood (Santalum fernandezianum), serving as the last piece of evidence that this species – Over a century ago, Chile sandalwood was heavily exploited for its aromatic wood, leading to its extinction.

Thanks to the efforts of specialists and curators at the National Museum of Natural History, these specimens have been meticulously catalogued and studied, creating digitized data that allows people worldwide to learn from these remnants of the past. Recently, researchers and artists have been attempting to resurrect the scents of many extinct plants based on descriptions and preserved specimens. Through their delicate work, we may one day experience the long-lost aroma of Chile sandalwood!