Can you tell the age of a snail by the size of its shell?

Snails are known for their spiral shells which can come in various sizes and shapes. Many people believe that the size of the snail's shell is indicative of its age, but this is not entirely true. While the shell does grow as the snail gets older, it's not the only factor that determines its size.

The snail's diet, environment, and genetics also play a role in determining the size of its shell. For example, a snail that has access to a lot of calcium will have a larger shell than a snail that doesn't. Additionally, some species of snails naturally have larger shells than others, so size cannot be used to determine age accurately.

Therefore, it's impossible to determine the exact age of a snail just by looking at the size of its shell. However, scientists have developed other methods to estimate the age of snails. One method is by counting the growth rings on the shell, similar to counting tree rings. Another method is by measuring the snail's rate of growth, which can be affected by temperature and other environmental factors.