3.09.2008
405 Year Old Clam Found off Iceland
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Oceanographers dredging a bank of mud off the Northern coast of Iceland have found the world's oldest living creature; a clam of the species Arctica that started life when Shakespeare was still writing and the Plymouth colony had yet to be founded.
Determining the age of a clam is straightforward in this case, merely count the growth rings. Researchers hope to learn more about how this clam staved off the effects of aging, maintained muscle tone, etc. for such a long period, which may offer clues to preventative treatments that could work in humans eventually.
Labels: 405, aging, clam, longevity, methusaleh, wanamaker
