Mollusks, Worms, Sponges, Starfish

The Odyssey of the World's Largest Freshwater Pearl

The gem, which was was recently bought at auction, was likely found in China in the 1700s and was once owned by Russia's Catherine the Great

Interactive touchpools in the aquarium.

Be Part of a Catch-and-Release Aquarium in Scotland

The Mull Aquarium in Tobermory invites visitors to help stock the tanks

Eye worm extracted from Beckley

Woman Pulls Parasitic Cattle Eye Worm From Her Own Eye

This was the first-known time the parasite has made the jump from cows to humans

Toxic Algae Closes Important Maine Shellfish Region

The unprecedented late-season bloom may be linked to warming waters and could be a preview of things to come

Your Oldest Ancestor Was Probably Sponge Like

A new study may settle a long-running debate about which creature was the first to evolve from a universal common animal ancestor

Even Without Ears, Oysters Can Hear Our Noise Pollution

Study shows that certain frequencies of noise cause oysters to clam up

Diploscapter pachys hasn't had sex for 18 million years, and is doing just fine

This Worm Hasn't Had Sex in 18 Million Years

By fusing its chromosomes, the creature could essentially clone itself while still maintaining genetic variation

A horsehair worm seen in its adult state, in which it lives only to breed

This Jumble of Writhing Sticks Is Actually a Bizarre Parasite

Observed flailing around in Taiwan, this so-called 'alien' turns out to be a horsehair worm

A gloomy octopus among piles of discarded shells at Octlantis

Octopus 'City' Found Off the Coast of Australia

Expected to live as loners, gloomy octopuses may actually live in groups bustling with activity

The slug-inspired glue is a tough adhesive that can be used for a range of applications, like closing wounds, or making adorable slug models.

Slugs Inspire Super-Strong Glue to Seal Wounds

One day this mollusc-inspired invention might just save your life

This flatworm fragment went to space and became a double-headed worm.

What Space-Faring Flatworms Can Teach Us About Human Health

Their experiment had some weird results—and could one day help humans thrive in microgravity and back here on Earth

Glue Made of Mussel Slime Could Prevent Scarring

The glue, infused with a version of the protein decorin, healed wounds in rats, giving them skin with hair follicles and oil glands instead of scar tissue

The ammonite that left the mark

Ancient Creature Left a 28-Foot Drag Mark After It Died

An ammonite found in a German quarry left its mark on its lagoon home

New York restaurants donated these oyster shells to the project. They'll be used to grow new oysters as part of an ambitious restoration program.

Why New York Schoolchildren Want to Grow a Billion Oysters

It's a grand attempt to restore a ravaged estuary

A piece of plastic after 10 worms nibbled it for 30 minutes

This Caterpillar Can Eat Plastic

The find could lead to new techniques for breaking down our ever-growing plastic waste

The giant shipworm, out of its tube

After Centuries of Searching, Scientists Finally Find the Mysterious Giant Shipworm Alive

The three-foot long creature has long eluded scientists, but they finally got a closer look

Are creatures like this at the bottom of animals' family tree?

Scientists Think Comb Jellies May Have Come Before All Other Animals

Sorry, sponges—there’s a new oldest ancestor in town

Still Life with Fruit, Oysters, and Wine by Everhart Kuhn, ca. 1865

Are Oysters an Aphrodisiac?

Sure, if you think so

Dave

R.I.P., Dave the U.K.'s Largest Earthworm

Measuring 16 inches long and weighing an ounce, the worm pulled from a Cheshire garden has become a prized specimen at the Natural History Museum

Not all clothes are created equal.

Doing Laundry Can Be Deadly for Clams, Mollusks and Other Marine Animals

Pick your wardrobe carefully—the lives of sea animals may depend on it

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