π Oysters clung to dentures in Chesapeake Bay
In 1898, a discovery showed an oyster attached to human dentures found in Chesapeake Bay. This unusual specimen highlighted a time when the bay was densely packed with oysters. Currently, more than 99 per cent of the historic native oyster population has vanished from the area. Overharvesting, pollution, and disease severely damaged the bay's natural water-filtering system. Conservation efforts are ongoing to rebuild oyster populations, though full restoration remains a long-term challenge. π₯