Could curiosity have killed the clam? I'm Adam from Ripley's.com and this is your Weird Minute. Ming, a quahog clam discovered in the Icelandic seabed, was born before Henry VIII and named after the Ming Empire. the dynasty in power while it was still young. 507 years later, scientists killed it. Clams, like trees, exhibit growth rings for the years that they are alive, meaning we know exactly how old they are. Though it sounds easy to count the rings,
Ming's age was first thought to be a paltry 405, but a recount proved otherwise. It was during their count that researchers killed the clam. Despite its immense age, the researchers believe that there could be even older clams out there.
Ming was merely the oldest of 200 clams that they picked off the seabed, but commercial fishers remove thousands a year, meaning it's likely much older clams have been unknowingly shucked and eaten. For more strange stories and curious clam-a-ties, visit ripleys.com. Rate The Weird Minute if you haven't already, and tune in tomorrow for another Minute of Odds.