This New England Aquarium Lecture Series event features Dr. Joshua Boger, a scientist, entrepreneur, and professional underwater photographer, who will introduce us to the extraordinary world of giant clams (genus Tridacna). As the largest living bivalve mollusks—giant clams can reach sizes as large as 1.3 meters (4.5 feet) and weigh as much as 250 kg (550 lbs). These highly colorful animals are distributed widely in the warmer parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and can live 100 years or more, each fixed to one spot for all its adult life. Young giant clams get most of their energy by filter feeding, like their smaller, more culinarily-familiar cousins, but the larger adult clams grow to their huge sizes by utilizing a uniquely efficient and effective internal solar power system, known as symbiotic photosynthetic algae, housed within their soft clam skin.

Colors and patterns are used for several reasons around the animal kingdom, involving, most notably, mating or defense, but none of the usual reasons seem to apply to giant clams. Dr. Boger’s talk will explore how giant clams use their differing, bright colors, and how and why their unique solar power system works so efficiently. Illustrated with underwater macro photographs from more than twenty years of diving, Dr. Boger will showcase these beautiful gentle animals that are under threat from overfishing, pollution, and ocean warming.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Boger is the Founder and Former CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Philosophy from Wesleyan University and his master's and doctorate degrees in Chemistry from Harvard University. Dr. Boger is an expert scuba diver, with more than 800 logged dives, and a professional underwater photographer, concentrating on macrophotography that explores detailed colors and patterns in unfamiliar underwater environments to illuminate a broader visual understanding and appreciation of our blue planet.