Ming the Clam’s Accidental Death Explained

Shell of Ming the Clam, the world’s oldest known animal, preserved after accidental death

In the chilly, cold waters off the coasts of Iceland in 2006, scientists made an incredible discovery—an ocean quahog clam (Arctica islandica) that will ultimately be confirmed to be the oldest living animal EVER recorded. Aptly named Ming the Clam, since the clam was born during China’s Ming Dynasty, this seemingly unremarkable bivalve was estimated … Read more