The clam was initially named Ming by Sunday Times journalists, in reference to the Ming dynasty, during which it was born. However, it’s highly likely that there are many more similar specimens under the sea, which may even be significantly older. The sample taken by the British scientists in Iceland was extremely small, comprising only 200 clams. The name should be changed to Ming/Hafrún. Although Ming was the oldest clam found in the sample, … The Ming name seems to have appeared in British media. [1] Later, the Icelandic researchers on the cruise which discovered the clam named it Hafrún (a woman's name which translates roughly as "the mystery of the ocean"; taken from haf, "ocean", and rún, "mystery"). Photograph: Bangor University Photograph: Bangor University M ing the clam had seen things that you or I could only ever dream of. The name of the clam should perhaps be updated, as the Icelandic researchers who found the clam named it Hafrún, a woman's name which translates roughly as "the mystery of the ocean" (Haf: The ocean, and +rún: rune also mystery when in names). Besides, odds are that a clam older still lurks somewhere in the ocean deep. Ming the clam’s inadvertent death is sad, but his sacrifice could lead to major breakthroughs for scientists in their research on climate change and its effects on the world’s ecosystems.

Ming the clam - so called because it hails from the age of the Chinese dynasty - was first found in 2006 during an expedition to Iceland. Ming the Clam is the oldest (non colonial) animal ever discovered, whose age can be calculated precisely. Next, check out the sea sponge, which scientists discovered was the very first animal on earth.

Ming the clam, more than 500 years old at time of death. Ming the clam, the world's oldest animal, killed at 507 years old by scientists trying to tell how old it was Ming the clam was first discovered in 2006 and killed by scientists unaware of its age.