RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
Good morning, I'm Renee Montagne. It's surprisingly common to find a message in a bottle. Still, this one is the oldest on record - 108 years at sea. A retired German postal worker on holiday spotted it. No stamp needed - the note inside said return to the British Marine Biology Association. A distinguished marine biologist had tossed it out to test the North Sea's current. The reward was a shilling so out of date, they had to search eBay to find one. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.