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Lobsters hold the secret of a long, cancer-free life in their genes

The American lobster — easily recognizable by its two hefty claws — can reach the impressive age of 100 years. The remarkable longevity is accompanied by very few signs of aging; it continuously grows and reproduces throughout its life and does not suffer from age-related diseases such as cancer. This exceptional resilience has garnered interest from researchers that are curious to decipher the reasons behind the lobster’s longevity and good health. Could the genome of the American lobster provide clues about their healthy aging?

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They keep growing forever. Or so research suggests. But scientists won’t be able to tell how long lobsters really live because traps aren’t designed to catch the largest lobsters. “When we catch one that is 20-30 pounds, it’s because a claw got caught in the entrance of the trap, not inside,” says Robert C. Bayer, executive director of The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine.

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The deep waters in the Gulf of Maine have cooled down after decades of rapid warming, but it’s hard to say yet if that’s good news

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Articles of Interest

American Lobster

To many, it may seem that the lobster’s most natural habitat is on a large, oval plate between a cup of drawn butter and a lemon wedge. Only a few of the hundreds of types of lobster are caught commercially. But those few species are some of the most heavily harvested creatures in the sea, and generate a multi-billion-dollar industry, with more than 200,000 tons of annual global catch. The lobster that most people know from their dinner plates is the American lobster (Homarus americanus).

Brawny American Lobsters Are Muscling in on Their European Cousins

Sweden wants to ban live American lobsters for fear they will out-claw their own.

Eating sustainably may mean skipping the lobster for now

Lobster fishing can seriously injure whales—so the crustacean has been 'red-listed.' In an effort to try and save these whales, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sustainability guide Seafood Watch has placed American lobster caught by pot and gillnet on a “red list” of seafood to avoid due to the threat lobstering poses to this critically endangered cetacean. Some other red listed seafood include European anchovies, wild-caught cod from both the US and abroad, and Atlantic rock crab.

Is Lobster Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Says

Often enjoyed on summer vacations, lobster is a true specialty food. But is it good for you? Here, we explore the nutritional benefits and potential reasons to limit lobster consumption.

Lobsters likely feel pain. Should we get them high before eating them?

Crustaceans show signs of distress when they’re boiled alive. This Maine restaurateur turned to an innovative solution to ease lobsters’ pain: hotboxing them.

Lobster’s healthfulness depends on how it’s served

When it’s not doused in butter or mayonnaise, lobster can be a healthy option, according to Eric Rimm, professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It’s not as rich in omega-3 as fatty fishes like salmon and mackerel, but lobster is a lean, low-calorie source of protein with a number of vitamins and minerals, including zinc and calcium. While it is relatively high in cholesterol, Rimm says that’s no reason to be concerned.

No one knows if lobsters feel pain, which makes boiling them alive rather complicated

Switzerland's new laws ask you to consider the lobster.

Not for the pot: how ‘V-notching’ lobsters may help save them

Cornishman Ned Bailey has caught and returned ‘notched’ lobsters for years as part of a broader effort to preserve stocks. But many fishers do not

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Our new study shows the European lobster is making use of the scour protection as shelter. The presence of this commercially important species within these sites suggests fishing opportunities may develop from future windfarm construction.

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The crustacean’s dingy brown shell conceals brilliant blue and red pigments within.

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As best scientists can tell, lobsters age so gracefully they show no measurable signs of aging: no loss of appetite, no change in metabolism, no loss of reproductive urge or ability, no decline in strength or health. Lobsters, when they die, seem to die from external causes.

The Time Is Right for Lobster

I am a fan of just about anything you can do with a lobster. I have close friends who regularly organize a lobster feed at their kitchen table, perhaps the best way to enjoy it. It’s nothing fancy. Everyone gets a huge lobster (there’s melted butter, mayonnaise and crusty bread, too) and we go to town, prying every last bit of meat from the shell. It always feels decadent.

To Save Whales, Don’t Eat Lobster, Watchdog Group Says

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What’s More American Than the McLobster?

On road trips we knew we had not arrived in the real New England until we had crossed what we called the McLobster line. A border that marked off a new territory as surely as the Mason-Dixon marked off the South, it delineated that point beyond which McDonald’s sold its populist take on the lobster roll.

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