Scientists find oldest living animal, then kill it

[Tahoe]

British marine biologists have found what may be the oldest living animal — that is, until they killed it.
The team from BangorUniversity in Wales was dredging the waters north of Iceland as part of routine research when the unfortunate specimen, belonging to the clam species Arctica islandica, commonly known as the ocean quahog, was hauled up from waters 250 feet deep.
Only after researchers cut through its shell, which made it more of an ex-clam, and counted its growth rings did they realize how old it had been — between 405 and 410 years old.
Another clam of the same species had been verified at 220 years old, and a third may have lived 374 years. But this most recent clam was the oldest yet.
"Its death is an unfortunate aspect of this work, but we hope to derive lots of information from it," postdoctoral scientist Al Wanamaker told London's Guardian newspaper. "For our work, it's a bonus, but it wasn't good for this particular animal."

[Uncle Mxy]

http://www.sos.bangor.ac.uk/staff/ph...hp?person=0980

[MoTown]

Tahoe, I congratulate you on the title of this thread. That alone cracked me up.

[UxKa]

Why does it not surprise me that we as humans would kill it? To think we get pissed when little green guys shove something up our butts and return us practically unharmed.

[Tahoe]

"Its death is an unfortunate aspect of this work, but we hope to derive lots of information from it,"


"For our work, it's a bonus, but it wasn't good for this particular animal."

Incredible I'd seriously consider punching this idiot.

[Zip Goshboots]

Hasn't history spent enough time teaching us that the moment we "discover" something, that something's days are numbered?

[WTFchris]

So why did we have to cut it open? How retarded are they?

[Zip Goshboots]

Any truth to the rumor that these guys were handling the Goulet case?

[Uncle Mxy]

AFAICT, the order of operations here was reversed. First it was killed, then they subsequently discovered how old it had been by counting its rings. That is simply how animal research works in many cases. They kill a bunch, hoping to find a novel thing in a few.

[UxKa]

AFAICT, the order of operations here was reversed. First it was killed, then they subsequently discovered how old it had been by counting its rings. That is simply how animal research works in many cases. They kill a bunch, hoping to find a novel thing in a few.

Yes but it goes to show how primitive we are. Aliens can count our rings without killing us first lol