I have to be honest. I don’t really think of clams that often. When I do, it’s probably how I’m going to add them to a chowder, steam them, or toss them with some white sauce and spaghetti. Do you think of clams that often?
Nature is full of amazing natural wonders of both florae and fauna, including the rarely sighted in the wild mollusk known as the humble clam. These amazing creatures live just below the surface of our lives in the sand and rocks of almost every beach. They are omnivorous filter feeders. So they rely on the movement of the water to bring them food.
Clams themselves are pretty amazing creatures. They’ve been burrowing in the sand for about 510,000,000 years, making them one of the oldest species still living on the planet. Their species ranges in size from microscopic to gigantic. The largest known clam weighed in at more than 400 pounds. That’s a whole lotta chowder. Even more crazy is that clams live a long, long time. The oldest known clam was more than 500 years old. That means it was already in the sand when Columbus was trying to find India.
A video has been making the rounds which shows how coordinated and powerful clams can be. It’s kinda magical. I’m starting to think clams are some sort of super-powered, forever-living alpha creatures.
