失误！世界最老生物被科学家弄死了_BEC初级作文

失误！世界最老生物被科学家弄死了

这一年龄上的发现使它被载入了世界吉尼斯纪录，然而此刻，对这只被命名为“明” 的软体动物来说，一切都为时已晚。名字取自它的生命开始时中国正经历的历史朝代。不幸的是，这些推测出了“明”年龄的科学家在打开它的壳的一瞬间已经弄死了它。

The researchers opened the ancient clam up to judge its age by counting growth rings inside.But the rings were so close together that scientists ended up having to count the rings on the outside to be accurate, leading CBS to point out that Ming could have lived on, had scientists just started there.

为了推测它的年龄，科学家们必须数清壳内部的线圈，所以他们打开了这只年迈的贝壳。可是这只软体动物壳内部的线圈实在是太密集了，为了力求准确，最后科学家们还是不得不从壳外部来数清线圈圈数。CBS资讯记者由此评论说，如果科学家们一开始就决定数清壳外的线圈数，“明”或许现在还活着。

Now, after examining the ocean quahog more closely, using more refined methods, the researchers have found the animal was actually 100 years older than they first thought.

现在经过更精密仪器的更细致研究，科学家们发现这只海洋圆蛤实际上比他们预先设想的还要老100岁。

Dr Paul Butler, from the University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said: “We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then. But we are absolutely certain that we’ve got the right age now.”