Notable Animals: Ming the Clam
In 1499, Perkin Warbeck, pretender to the English throne, was executed during an escape attempt from the London Tower. King Louie XII of France married Anne of Brittany in 1499. And, maybe most importantly, in 1499, a little clam named Ming was born.
In 2006, the very old little clam named Ming was living the good life off the coast of Iceland. All around him, the ocean lapped peacefully against the mystical shores of Iceland. But his tranquil existence was abruptly disturbed and he was launched into fame due to his status as the oldest living creature ever discovered. He wasn't just an ordinary clam, he was Ming, the ancient Clam.
Ming was meant for the free life at sea, because shortly after discovery, Ming finally passed away. If given a headstone, it would have read 'RIP Ming. You are one amazing clam. B. 1499, D. 2006.'
Most of us on this planet were alive in 2006. We were alive at the same time as Ming. You know who else was alive when Ming was alive? William Shakespeare! Sir Issac Newton! Nostradamus! The Bronte Sisters! Ming connects us to the greats of history. He was alive living under the same sky as both us and them.
But Ming died by human hands driven by humans curiosity, which sometimes overpowers human's own reason. Researchers, finding the clam interesting but no yet realizing the gravity of his age, pried the old clam open, and in the process, killed Ming.
Imagine if the researchers had never found Ming. What would he be doing now? Would he have just kept living, kept going. In 100, 200, 400 years from 2006, would Ming still have been living, connecting William Shakespeare to nameless profound influencers of the future?
Maybe Ming was at the end of his life anyway. But if he was, he would have died a different way. He would of felt the salty water all around him, hugging him, ushering him to his nonexistence.
But maybe Ming would have kept on living and in a billion, trillion years when the world doesn't exist anymore, Ming would be floating around in outer space, looking for a new world to land on, and new sea to crash into.
In 2006, the very old little clam named Ming was living the good life off the coast of Iceland. All around him, the ocean lapped peacefully against the mystical shores of Iceland. But his tranquil existence was abruptly disturbed and he was launched into fame due to his status as the oldest living creature ever discovered. He wasn't just an ordinary clam, he was Ming, the ancient Clam.
Ming was meant for the free life at sea, because shortly after discovery, Ming finally passed away. If given a headstone, it would have read 'RIP Ming. You are one amazing clam. B. 1499, D. 2006.'
Most of us on this planet were alive in 2006. We were alive at the same time as Ming. You know who else was alive when Ming was alive? William Shakespeare! Sir Issac Newton! Nostradamus! The Bronte Sisters! Ming connects us to the greats of history. He was alive living under the same sky as both us and them.
But Ming died by human hands driven by humans curiosity, which sometimes overpowers human's own reason. Researchers, finding the clam interesting but no yet realizing the gravity of his age, pried the old clam open, and in the process, killed Ming.
Imagine if the researchers had never found Ming. What would he be doing now? Would he have just kept living, kept going. In 100, 200, 400 years from 2006, would Ming still have been living, connecting William Shakespeare to nameless profound influencers of the future?
Maybe Ming was at the end of his life anyway. But if he was, he would have died a different way. He would of felt the salty water all around him, hugging him, ushering him to his nonexistence.
But maybe Ming would have kept on living and in a billion, trillion years when the world doesn't exist anymore, Ming would be floating around in outer space, looking for a new world to land on, and new sea to crash into.