Leukemia is killing our clams!

Well, if this isn't unappetizing news!  A cancer is transmitting itself from clam to clam:

The cancerous cells multiply, break free, and survive in seawater long enough to find their way to new clam hosts. For now, the team aren’t sure when the cancer first arose or what role (if any) Steamer plays in that origin. The findings do indicate, however, that the “horizontal transmission” of cancer is more common than we thought.

Terrible, terrible news for our favourite sea friends.

'Disco clam' scares away predators!

Disco may be dead, but clams are using its eternal powers to keep themselves "staying alive":

The bright, orange-lipped “disco clam” (Ctenoides ales) became a phenom last year when researchers learned that its dazzling display (see video) proved to be reflections of ambient light and not light produced by the clams themselves. Now that same team has strong evidence that these blinking streaks are telling would-be predators, "Beware!"

Looks like you'd have to move earth, wind and fire to get your hands on these clams! Still, I might be able to order some.

Read the whole article at: http://news.sciencemag.org/plants-animals/2015/01/disco-clam-lights-scare-predators-away