Yes, the humble clam has something more significant going for it than being the central ingredient of a popular dish in New England.
You might think the Giant Tortoise is the longest-living animal, but even in captivity the oldest known specimen is 177 years old. Scientists have discovered an animal that makes the Giant Tortoise’s lifespan look like a fleeting glimpse of life.
In the deep, cold waters off Iceland, scientists have found a clam that is verified to be over 400 years old. That means that the old bivalve was around during the war of independence in the US, has endured the “little ice age”, and countless other significant events in human history. The scientists speculate that even older clams may yet exist in the depths of the Northern Atlantic.
You can read more at the Guardian (UK).