“The giant clam, Tridacna gigas (known as pā’ua in Cook Islands Māori), is the largest living bivalve mollusc. T. gigas is one of the most endangered clam species. It was mentioned as early as 1825 in scientific reports. One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans, they can weigh more than 200 kilograms (440 lb) measure as much as 120 cm (47 in) across, and have an average lifespan in the wild of 100 years or more”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Tridacna Gigas, or Giant Clams spew water as a traditional fisherman passes by a small sanctuary on January 23, 2004 near Bolinao in the Northern Philippines. The clams, prime builders for coral reefs and providing shelter for spawning fish and other marine life, are exposed by low tides in the sanctuary. Overfishing and pollution throughout the country are not only threatening food security, but are also starting to choke one of the few working clam sanctuaries in the world. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images)

A girl holds a blossom in her mouth while posing for photos under cherry blossom trees at Wuhan University on March 11, 2021 in Wuhan, China. Tourists come to view cherry blossoms at the university during the spring. Wuhan University, first founded in 1893, is widely known as one of the most beautiful universities in China. (Photo by Getty Images/China Stringer Network)

A bench engraved with the name of the grounded Costa Concordia cruise ship (seen at rear) is seen washed up on the shore of Giglio island, in this January 20, 2012 file photo. The trial of Francesco Schettino, accused of causing the deaths of 32 people in the 2012 Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster, nears its climax with a verdict expected over the coming days. The prosecution has demanded that he be jailed for 26 years but the captain denies all the charges against him. Schettino was the commander of the vessel when it came too close to shore and hit rocks off the Tuscan holiday island of Giglio. (Photo by Paul Hanna/Reuters)

A picture of Moon Ji-sung, a high school student who died in the Sewol ferry disaster, hangs in her room in Ansan April 7, 2015. Her dream was to be a flight attendant. Nearly a year after the Sewol ferry sank on April 16, 2014, with the death of 250 students, some families keep their children’s bedrooms intact to remember and honour their loved ones. More than 300 people, most of them students and teachers from Danwon High School, are dead, or missing and presumed dead, after the Sewol ferry sank on a routine trip from the port of Incheon, near Seoul, to the holiday island of Jeju. (Photo by Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)

A one month old Turquoise colored Green Veiled Chameleon perches on a finger in the Cardin's Chameleons boothat Repticon 2014 Sunday, August 3, 2014 in Jacksonville, Fla. The vendor specializes in captive bred and born Veiled Chameleons and this particular specimen cost $40.00. The Repticon reptile and Exotic Animal show made its stop in Jacksonville over Saturday and Sunday offering a variety of cold blooded critters and related supplies for sale at the University Center on the University of North Florida campus. The show, which travels nationally stops in Jacksonville several times a year according to event vendor team leader Patty Healey. (Photo by Bob Self/AP Photo/The Florida Times-Union)

A close-up shot of dews of a soldier fly on August 2014, in Banten, Indonesia. Wildlife photographer takes incredible close-up images of tiny bugs. Yudy Sauw has captured close-up images of creepy crawlies – revealing their disturbing faces. The insects have an assortment bulging eyes and sharp pincers and look grotesque in the face-to-face shots. The miniature-models include a soldier fly, a red ant and a longhorn beetle. The 33-year-old photographed the bugs at his home studio in Banten, Indonesia, placing them 2-10 centimeters away from the camera. (Photo by Yudy Sauw/Barcroft Media)

Kevin Fast, 51, holds several Guinness World Records including the heaviest plane pulled by a man and has lifted 22 women with his back. The Reverend Dr Kevin Fast is officially God's gift to powerlifting after being named as the world's strongest priest. The Canadian pastor, 51, has been performing incredible stunts of heavy lifting for years after being inspired by 19th Century strongman Louis Cyr. He holds several Guinness World Records including the heaviest aircraft pulled by a man, which weighed in at a whopping 189 tonnes, heaviest truck pulled by an arm wrestling move, heaviest vehicle pulled over 100ft and the longest duration holding 500kg with the shoulders.

Now celebrating its 40th year, Nikon Small World is widely regarded as the leading forum to recognize proficiency and photographic excellence of photography taken under the microscope. To select the winners, competition judges analyzed entries from all over the world covering subjects ranging from chemical compounds to up-close-and-personal looks at biological specimens. The 2014 winners will be revealed on October 30th. In 2014, the competition received over 1,200 entries from more than 79 countries around the world. (Photo by Dr. Igor Robert Siwanowicz/Nikon Small World 2014)