Bungling scientists kill world’s oldest creature

At 507, Ming the clam was alive before Queen Elizabeth I oversaw the rise of the British Empire and saw off the age of Enlightenment, the industrial revolution and two world wars.But its long life came to an abrupt end when scientists dredged the sea bed near Iceland during a study into the effects of climate change.Not realising the age of the mollusc, researchers from Bangor University opened its shell for analysis, killing Ming in the process.Now seven years after the discovery, by counting the number of rings on the outside of the clam’s shell, scientists have calculated that Ming was born in 1499 – so lived to the ripe age of 507.But while Ming paid the ultimate price for science, he could still do a service for humankind.With the support of a £40,000 grant from Help the Aged, scientists are examining oxygen isotopes in the clam’s growth rings, which could help unlock the secrets of its long life.‘If evolution has created a model of successful resistance to the damage of ageing, an investigation of the tissues might help us understand the processes of ageing,’ said project researcher Chris Richardson.(metro.co.uk)ANN.Az