Welcome to our top 10 fascinating deep‑sea roundup, where we peel back the mystery veil on sharks—those sleek ocean predators that have fascinated (and sometimes terrified) us for centuries. From ultrasound scans of gigantic whale sharks to sharks that live half a millennium, each tale below showcases a jaw‑dropping discovery that proves these creatures are far more than just movie‑star villains.

top 10 fascinating Overview

10 Baby Scans For Whale Sharks

Running an ultrasound on a marine giant isn’t the usual fare for doctors, yet in 2018 researchers pulled off a historic first on the world’s biggest fish. The subjects were female whale sharks—gentle leviathans that can outsize a city bus. These massive filter‑feeders often vanish into the blue, diving as deep as 1,829 meters (6,000 ft) on mysterious migrations, which makes pinning down their breeding grounds a real puzzle. Understanding when and where they reproduce could be a game‑changer for protecting this endangered species.

Biologists set their sights on the Galápagos, where a pod of 21 females lingered. Over two weeks they waterproofed ultrasound gear, chased the moving giants, and attempted to peer through skin up to 25 cm (10 in) thick. None were pregnant, and the full picture of their reproductive biology stayed elusive, but the team harvested priceless data—seeing ovaries with visible follicles for the first time.

An unexpected quirk emerged: every time the ultrasound was switched on, the sharks surged forward, a reaction not seen when they were merely tagged. This suggests the sound waves were audible to the females, hinting at a sensory surprise in these gentle giants.

9 First Omnivorous Shark

A 2018 study sent shockwaves through the ichthyology world by confirming that not all sharks are pure meat‑eaters. The bonnethead, long known to munch on sea grass, was finally proven to be the first documented omnivorous shark. Scientists had long assumed the grass was accidental intake while hunting in seagrass meadows, but gut analyses showed the plant made up a staggering 62 % of stomach contents, prompting a deeper investigation.

Researchers built a custom tank and introduced five bonnetheads to a diet laced with chemically tagged sea grass. The sharks relished a menu of 90 % grass and 10 % squid. After three weeks, the sharks were noticeably plumper. Chemical tracing revealed they absorbed over half the nutrients from the grass, confirming true dietary assimilation rather than mere passage. This breakthrough crowned the bonnethead as the inaugural omnivorous shark species.

8 Ancient Shark Attack

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County houses a fossil of a pteranodon that bizarrely bears a shark tooth lodged in its neck. Initially dismissed as a random juxtaposition of two fossils, the find sparked a fresh inquiry. The specimen, unearthed in Kansas, dates to roughly 85 million years ago—when the region was a shallow sea. The tooth belonged to Cretoxyrhina mantelli, an extinct mako‑like shark that grew to about 2.5 m (8 ft) long.

Detailed analysis showed the tooth was driven deep beneath a vertebral protrusion, indicating a powerful bite rather than accidental placement. Researchers argue the shark likely scavenged the floating carcass of the pteranodon, much like modern sharks sometimes strike at seabirds soaring above the water. The evidence points to a genuine predatory interaction, not a post‑mortem fossil mishap.

7 Jumping Giants

In 2018, scientists compared the behavior of great whites with that of the colossal basking shark. While the great white is famed as an apex predator, the basking shark is a gentle plankton filter‑feeder, seemingly the ocean’s biggest docile animal. Yet observations off Ireland revealed these massive giants can launch themselves out of the water with the same vigor as their ferocious cousins.

High‑speed video and attached recording devices captured a basking shark accelerating from a depth of 28 m (92 ft) in just nine seconds, beating its tail ten times before breaching at a near‑vertical angle. The shark cleared 1.2 m (4 ft) above the surface and lingered airborne for about a second. One researcher summed it up with a grin: “It’s a bit like discovering cows are as fast as wolves.” This discovery shattered the long‑held belief that basking sharks are merely slow‑drifting behemoths.

6 The Florida Survivor

In 2014, divers exploring a popular Florida dive site stumbled upon a startling scene: a male lemon shark pierced through the gut by a metal fish stringer—a device anglers use to keep their catch on a line. The shark likely swallowed the gear, which then stabbed through its stomach and skin. Remarkably, the shark survived, offering scientists a rare glimpse into how sharks can internally expel dangerous objects.

Over the next 14 months, the shark was re‑spotted 12 times. Each sighting showed the metal gradually working its way outward—initially just a sharp tip, later a longer shaft, and finally, by 2016, the object had vanished, leaving only a scar. The lemon shark endured more than 435 days with a deep wound, avoided infection, and apparently healed internal damage to its stomach and liver. This case provided the first concrete evidence of sharks’ extraordinary internal healing capabilities.

5 Sharks Get Cancer

The popular myth that sharks are immune to cancer has been debunked for over a century, yet it persists, fueled by the shark‑cartilage industry’s claims of anti‑cancer properties. In reality, cancer has been documented in 23 shark species, with the first great‑white case recorded in 2013. The afflicted shark, photographed in Australian waters, sported a massive tumor on its mouth measuring 30 cm (12 in) across.

This misconception fuels harmful practices: shark cartilage supplements are marketed as cures despite lacking scientific support, and the myth contributes to the tragic slaughter of roughly 100 million sharks annually for finning and other products. Scientists stress that even if sharks possessed some cancer resistance, consuming their tissue would not cure human disease, and relying on such products can endanger patients who forego proven treatments.

4 Right‑Handed Sharks

In 2018, researchers wondered whether rising ocean temperatures could sway sharks toward a particular turning bias—a phenomenon dubbed “handedness.” Australian scientists collected about two dozen Port Jackson shark eggs, splitting them between two temperature regimes. One group stayed at the native bay temperature of 20.6 °C (69.1 °F), while the other was gradually warmed to 23.6 °C (74.5 °F), simulating projected century‑end conditions.

Half of the pups from the warmer tank perished within a month. The survivors were then tested on a Y‑shaped maze where they had to choose a branch to reach food. While the control group showed no side preference, the heat‑exposed sharks displayed a pronounced right‑turn bias. Scientists speculate that elevated metabolic demands in warmer water may compress brain development, prompting a hard‑wired directional habit to compensate for reduced cognitive capacity.

3 Pups Without A Father

Leonie, a zebra shark residing at Reef HQ Aquarium in Australia, seemed to have bid farewell to reproduction after being separated from her mate in 2012. Yet in 2016, she laid three eggs that hatched into healthy pups. Initial theories pointed to stored sperm, but DNA analysis revealed none of the known males matched the offspring’s genetics. Instead, the embryos carried only maternal DNA, confirming a case of parthenogenesis—an asexual reproductive mode previously undocumented in zebra sharks.

Parthenogenesis occurs when an egg cell essentially clones itself, acting like sperm. Though common among invertebrates and plants, it’s increasingly observed in vertebrates such as Komodo dragons, vipers, and even chickens. Leonie’s ability to reproduce without a male offers a glimmer of hope for this endangered species, demonstrating a hidden resilience in their reproductive toolkit.

2 Uterus‑Switching Pups

Sharks are famed for their fierce independence, a trait that manifested spectacularly in 2018 when researchers captured a tawny nurse shark’s embryos swapping between its two uteri. Using underwater ultrasound, scientists observed pups migrating from one womb to the other to feast on unfertilized siblings—a dramatic twist on the already brutal intra‑uterine cannibalism known in many shark species.

This behavior echoed a 1993 documentary of a sand tiger shark whose embryos were seen moving through a wound‑created opening between its uteri. The 2018 scan provided the first clear, non‑injury‑induced documentation of such uterine switching. Additionally, the study noted that some embryos occasionally protruded their heads through the mother’s cervix, briefly tasting the surrounding seawater before birth.

1 500‑Year‑Old Sharks

If there were a trophy for the ultimate oddball, the Greenland shark would claim it hands down. Though its gray, drab exterior suggests a modest fish, scientific analysis reveals a lifespan that borders on mythic. In 2016, researchers examined 28 Greenland sharks harvested unintentionally by fisheries and research vessels. Their sluggish growth and massive size—some reaching 4.9 m (16 ft)—hinted at extraordinary longevity.

Using radiocarbon dating of eye‑lens proteins formed at birth, scientists leveraged the “bomb‑pulse” signature from 1950s‑60s nuclear testing to calibrate ages. Results indicated many individuals could be over 500 years old, with sexual maturity not attained until roughly 150 years of age. These findings position the Greenland shark as one of the longest‑lived vertebrates on the planet.

The ocean’s most infamous predator, the great white shark, isn’t always the flawless hunter we picture. While its power and reputation are legendary, these 10 great white specimens each suffered a spectacular setback—whether from human interference, strange prey, or outright misfortune. Dive in for a roller‑coaster of sharky mishaps that prove even apex predators have off days.

10 Great White Sharks: A Tale of Unlucky Encounters

10 Mother Of 14

In early 2019 a massive, pregnant great white was hauled in near Taiwan under dubious circumstances. Fishermen claimed it was an accident, yet the specimen fetched a hefty $2,000 at a local market, where a taxidermist bought the carcass. While the shark was being dissected, the butcher uncovered an astonishing fourteen pups nestled within her two wombs—a record‑setting number for the species.

The mother, a striking 4.7‑meter (15‑foot) individual, was on the brink of giving birth when captured. Great whites are listed as vulnerable, so losing a gravid female is a significant blow to the population. Nonetheless, the rarity of a pregnant great white made the catch invaluable for researchers, providing photos and tissue samples that shed light on embryonic development and the pups’ diet of unfertilized eggs.

Scientists hailed the find as a bittersweet triumph: while the loss of such a prime breeding animal hurts conservation, the data harvested from the mother and her fourteen offspring offers a rare glimpse into the early life of these apex predators.

9 The Failed Hunt

Back in 2015 a juvenile great white on Cape Cod saw a seagull perched on the sand and lunged for an impromptu snack. The ambitious attack backfired spectacularly, sending the two‑meter (6.6‑foot) shark scrambling onto a shallow puddle and beaching itself.

Onlookers watched in shock as volunteers doused the distressed shark with buckets of seawater, essentially performing a makeshift CPR. Though the shark continued to ventilate through its gills, its survival window was narrow. Fortunately, a harbor master arrived in time to hoist the animal back into deeper water.

A nearby marine biologist quickly fitted the rescued shark with a tracking tag before releasing it. While the seagull dinner was missed, the shark’s brush with death turned into a valuable research opportunity, thanks to the swift community rescue effort.

8 Mysterious Infection

Seasonal strandings are common, but a sudden surge in shark deaths prompted pathologist Mark Okihiro to investigate. He discovered that many of the victims, including a great white near Santa Cruz in 2017, suffered fatal brain hemorrhages caused by an unusual infection.

Initial tests suggested meningitis‑type bacteria, yet no Carnobacterium was present in the white shark. Instead, a pervasive fungus was later identified as the killer, responsible for hundreds of deaths across multiple species in San Francisco Bay.

The exact nature of this fungal pathogen remains a mystery, but its impact on shark mortality highlights a previously unknown threat lurking beneath the waves.

7 Fatal Exhibition

In 2016 the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, bowing to visitor demand, attempted to house a great white captured near Japan’s southwest coast. Great whites are notoriously difficult to keep in captivity; they require constant swimming to oxygenate their blood and regulate temperature.

The aquarium proudly announced the 3.5‑meter (11.5‑foot) male’s survival, but just three days later the shark had died, having refused all food since its capture. It later collapsed to the tank’s bottom, and staff attempted oxygen resuscitation, to no avail.

While officials pledged a thorough investigation, animal‑rights activists argued that the stress of capture and confinement sealed the shark’s fate, underscoring the challenges of displaying such a demanding species.

6 The Turtle Incident

In 2019 Japanese tuna fisherman Greg Vella heard fellow crew members joke about a shark that had a giant turtle stuck in its jaws. The next day the story proved true when a massive great white was hauled aboard with a large sea turtle lodged inside its mouth.

The shark had died, apparently choking on the cumbersome prey. While it’s possible the shark was already ill and regurgitated the turtle, the incident remains a rare glimpse into a predator attempting an unlikely meal.

Sea turtles are adept survivors, and most sharks steer clear of their armored shells. This extraordinary encounter serves as a reminder that even the fiercest hunters can be outmatched by an unexpected bite.

5 A Shark Called Fluffy

September 2017 saw a 1.8‑meter (5.9‑foot) great white stranded on the rocks at Manly Beach, Sydney. Staff from Manly Sea Life Sanctuary rescued the shark and transferred it to a nearby ocean pool for recovery.

During the rescue, the sanctuary’s life‑science manager jokingly christened the shark “Fluffy” for the children watching, and the nickname stuck. After a brief rest in the pool, divers monitored Fluffy throughout the night to ensure he didn’t injure himself.

The following day the shark enjoyed a short boat ride back to deeper waters, reducing the chance of another stranding. Fluffy’s brief adventure highlights how quick human intervention can give a wayward predator a second chance.

4 The Boat Breach

In 2017 Australian angler Terry Selwood set out for snapper when a 3‑meter (9‑foot) great white vaulted onto his vessel, its fin scraping Selwood’s arm and tearing a strip of skin. The shark, caught mid‑leap, became wedged against the boat and eventually died.

Rescue crews used a forklift to extract the exhausted predator after Selwood was air‑lifted to safety. Experts clarified that such breaches are typically provoked by filmmakers dragging bait, not genuine attacks.

Selwood insisted no surface fish were present, suggesting the shark may have been chasing bait or reacting to an unknown stimulus. Without a necropsy, the exact cause of the leap remains speculative.

3 Orcas Snack On Them

Great whites dominate the ocean’s food chain, but killer whales love a shark liver snack. In 2017, three great whites washed ashore on South African beaches within four days, each missing its liver.

Later necropsies revealed a fourth shark had been stripped of its liver, stomach, and testes— a 4‑meter (13‑foot) male. While no one witnessed the attacks, the pattern of evisceration strongly points to orca predation.

Orcas target the liver for its massive fat reserves, an energy‑dense feast. This behavior, recorded off Australia and San Francisco, underscores that even apex sharks can become a delicacy for larger predators.

2 The Australian Disappearance

A female great white tagged in 2003 off southwestern Australia vanished, only for her tag to wash up on a beach in 2014, four kilometers from its original location. Data revealed a sudden, deep plunge to 580 meters (1,903 feet) accompanied by a temperature spike from 8 °C to 26 °C.

The abrupt temperature jump likely reflected the warm interior of a predator’s stomach—most plausibly an orca—rather than ambient seawater, suggesting the shark was swallowed whole.

While cannibalistic great whites are a theoretical possibility, the only known marine animal capable of such a feat is the killer whale, whose stomach temperature aligns with the recorded data.

1 Beer Can Beach Shooting

In 2018 a 2.7‑meter (9‑foot) great white washed ashore on California’s Beer Can Beach, seemingly uninjured at first glance. A necropsy by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife uncovered .22‑caliber bullets lodged within the shark, one of which severed its spinal cord.

Because hunting a great white requires a special permit, the discovery sparked a criminal investigation. An anonymous tip led authorities to fisherman Vinh Pham, whose boat was inspected and found with multiple violations and the firearm used in the shooting.

Pham eventually confessed, explaining he fired because the shark lingered too close to his nets. He was convicted in 2019, fined $5,000, and placed on two‑year probation for the illegal killing of a vulnerable species.

Ever since the Jaws era turned the ocean into a terrifying nightmare, the phrase top 10 misconceptions about sharks has haunted beachgoers worldwide. Movies and sensational headlines have painted these sleek predators as ruthless killing machines, but the reality is far more nuanced and fascinating.

Top 10 Misconceptions About Sharks

10 Sharks Are Nature’s Most Efficient Killing Machines

Don’t be fooled by the dramatic headline – sharks are not the ultimate killing machines of the animal kingdom. In fact, that dubious honor belongs to microscopic parasites that spend their lives hijacking hosts and ultimately killing them. While many shark species are indeed adept hunters, efficiency alone does not make them the pinnacle of lethal perfection.

Sharks display a surprising amount of intelligence and strategy, often stalking prey much like a pride of lions coordinates a hunt. They wait for the perfect opening, lingering calmly around potential meals before striking. Some species rely heavily on surprise and will abort an attack the moment the element of surprise fades.

With more than 500 known species, hunting prowess varies widely. Certain sharks are highly selective, while others are opportunistic eat‑everything‑in‑sight feeders. The diversity of hunting styles means that only a subset truly earns the label of “efficient predator.”

9 Sharks Are Maneaters

The image of a massive, unseen predator snapping at swimmers fuels the myth that sharks are relentless “maneaters.” In truth, the overwhelming majority of sharks go their entire lives without ever encountering a human. Consider the sheer scale of the world’s oceans compared to the relatively tiny stretch of coastline where most people swim.

Most shark species are opportunistic feeders that target small fish and invertebrates. Only about a dozen species have ever been implicated in unprovoked attacks on people, and those incidents usually stem from mistaken identity rather than a desire for human flesh.

When a bite does occur, it can cause severe tissue damage and even be fatal if not treated promptly. The seriousness of such rare events fuels the “maneater” legend, but statistically, sharks are not out there hunting humans for sport.

8 Sharks Are At The Top Of The Food Chain

Many assume that sharks sit unchallenged at the apex of their ecosystems, but this oversimplification ignores the complex web of marine predation. While sharks rarely fear other ocean dwellers, they are not immune to being preyed upon.

Humans, for example, harvest far more sharks than any natural predator could. Yet, true biological threats exist. The iconic great white, often imagined as the ultimate apex predator, can fall victim to larger great whites and, more notably, to killer whales.

Orcas have been documented attacking and consuming great whites, particularly targeting their livers. First observed in 1997, these encounters have been recorded multiple times, proving that even the most fearsome sharks have a predator they must respect.

7 Sharks Can’t Get Cancer

For decades, the notion that sharks are immune to cancer has persisted, partly because researchers hoped their biology might hold clues to curing the disease. In reality, malignant tumors have been identified in sharks since the late 1800s.

Sharks do develop cancer, but it appears less frequently than in many other vertebrates, leading some to mistakenly believe they are cancer‑free. This misconception has fueled a market for shark‑cartilage supplements, despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting any anti‑cancer benefits.

The myth gained traction after the 1992 bestseller “Sharks Don’t Get Cancer,” which exaggerated the rarity of shark tumors and promoted unproven health products. Extensive research, however, has consistently shown that sharks are not exempt from cancer.

6 Sharks Will Die If They Stop Swimming

Popular lore claims that a shark must keep moving or it will suffocate. While some species rely on constant motion to force water over their gills—a process called ram ventilation—this rule does not apply to all sharks.

Several sharks, such as the bullhead and nurse sharks, employ buccal pumping, actively drawing water into their mouths and over their gills while remaining motionless. The tiger shark can switch between ram ventilation and buccal pumping depending on circumstances.

Only obligate ram ventilators—like great whites and mako sharks—must keep swimming to breathe. If they cease movement, they cannot extract enough oxygen and will indeed die. Thus, the sweeping statement that all sharks need to swim constantly is inaccurate.

5 Sharks Can Detect A Single Drop Of Blood From Miles Away

The dramatic claim that a shark can smell a single drop of blood from miles away has become a staple of shark folklore. While sharks possess an exceptionally keen sense of smell, the reality is more modest.

Sharks use their nostrils exclusively for olfaction, packed with sensory cells that can detect minute chemical concentrations. Some species can sense a low‑level scent a few hundred meters away—far impressive, yet far short of a mile.

Detection thresholds can reach one part per billion, equivalent to roughly one drop of substance dispersed in an average swimming pool. This sensitivity aids both hunting and mating, allowing sharks to locate prey or potential partners, but it does not grant them supernatural, ocean‑spanning sniffing powers.

4 Sharks Can Swim Backward

Many fish can easily reverse direction by flicking their pectoral fins, but sharks belong to a minority that cannot truly swim backward. Their unique anatomy restricts them to forward propulsion.

Sharks generate thrust by moving their powerful tails, while their pectoral fins provide stability and steering. Unlike most fish, their pectoral fins do not curve upward, preventing them from generating the reverse thrust needed for backward swimming.

When a shark needs to move backward, it simply ceases forward motion and lets gravity pull it back, a maneuver that can be hazardous because it disrupts water flow over the gills, potentially leading to suffocation. Consequently, sharks essentially remain forward‑moving creatures.

3 Sharks Are Only Found In Saltwater

It’s easy to assume sharks belong exclusively to the salty seas, yet several species have made a home in freshwater environments. Six distinct river‑shark species, all within the genus Glyphis, inhabit rivers across Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia.

These river sharks spend their entire lives in freshwater, though they are among the least studied due to dwindling populations caused by habitat loss. Their rarity makes them some of the most elusive shark species on the planet.

Another notable freshwater‑tolerant shark is the bull shark, which spends much of its life in rivers but returns to the ocean to breed. Bull sharks have been documented traveling far inland—over 1,750 miles up the Mississippi River and even 2,500 miles up the Amazon—showcasing their remarkable adaptability.

2 All Sharks Are Deadly To Humans

Contrary to popular belief, not every shark poses a danger to people. While a shark bite can be severe and sometimes fatal, only about a dozen species have ever been recorded biting humans, representing roughly 2.4 % of the estimated 500 shark species.

Many sharks, such as the Caribbean reef shark, can be dangerous if they bite, but they rarely do so. Other species, like nurse sharks, show little interest in humans, and attacks are exceedingly rare.

The largest shark, the gentle‑giant whale shark, is a filter feeder with no teeth capable of harming humans. Even if a person were to find themselves inside its massive mouth, the whale shark would simply spit them out, making it a harmless giant in the sea.

1 Sharks Can “Go Rogue” And Hunt Only Humans

The sensational idea of a “rogue shark” that abandons its normal diet to hunt humans exclusively has no scientific basis. Sharks do not develop a sudden craving for people; most bites result from mistaken identity or curiosity.

When a shark does bite a human, it typically recognizes the mistake quickly and disengages, rarely delivering a second bite. Global statistics illustrate the rarity: in 2020, there were 57 unprovoked attacks worldwide, with ten fatalities, and only 33 of those occurred in the United States.

Statistically, the odds of a person being bitten by a shark are about 1 in 3,748,067—far lower than the chance of being struck by lightning or injured in a train accident. So, the notion of a human‑hunting rogue shark is more myth than reality.

Sharks are the most maligned creatures on earth. For most of human history, no one cared about these animals until swimming began to grow in popularity. The odd shark attack put them on the radar, and then the movie Jaws sealed their fate. They were slaughtered by the thousands afterward. Nowadays up to 100 million are killed every year. And it’s a damn shame because sharks are amazing in ways that most people never realize.

10. Sharks Attack More During a Full Moon

According to PETA, a cork from a champagne bottle is more likely to kill you than a shark. Whether or not that’s entirely true, it is a fact that shark attacks are relatively rare, and far rarer than most people think. Only 10 people died from unprovoked shark attacks in 2020. That said, if you want to maximize your odds of not being in the net group of 10, choose the time you head into the ocean wisely.

It turns out that sharks are the werewolves of the sea. Attacks tend to happen more often during a full moon than other times of the month. The fuller the moon, the more the attacks. And that makes it seem like perhaps the moonlight is allowing sharks to see better and therefore attack more, except that the attacks generally happen during the daytime, it’s just that they coincide with these lunar phases. 

We know that the moon has an obvious effect on the oceans with how the tides work, but clearly it’s angering up some sharks as well.

9. Some Sharks Glow in the Dark

Is a shark more or less intimidating if you can see it coming? There’s obviously something terrifying about something jumping out at you from nowhere, but what if you can see it approaching and just have no way to defend yourself? And with that in mind, would you be more or less scared of a shark that glows in the dark?

Bioluminescence is still something of a novelty to humans because, in the space we occupy, few animals are capable of glowing. In the sea, there are upwards of 1,500 species of fish that have the ability to generate light. These are generally deepwater fish, and they’re usually not sharks. But some of them are. In particular, three species discovered off the coast of New Zealand. One of them, the kitefin shark, grows to nearly six feet in length.

8. Several Shark Species Can Walk on Land

Whether their reputation is deserved or not, one thing most people could take solace in when it came to sharks was that they’d leave you alone if you left them alone. They live in the sea; we live on land. We never have to cross paths if we don’t want to. And then you find out that some sharks can walk on land. 

Science has identified a handful of fish species that can actually walk on land. In 2020, four new species of walking shark were identified. And if you read about them, the story details how they can use their pectoral fins to walk across the sea floor and hunt prey that lives under rocks and in coral. And that seems cool because they’re walking but not “land” walking, right? 

Of course, the epaulette shark is able to walk on land outside of the water, a feature that likely evolved to help it survive if it gets caught in shallows or in a pool when the tide goes out. They can stay out of the water for up to an hour.

7. Sharks Smell in Stereo

No doubt you have heard that a shark is able to sense electrical signals in the water, which is how it hunts. And if you think that’s to make up for poor eyesight, think again. Sharks have vision 10 times greater than humans. And if that wasn’t enough, their sense of smell is far more advanced than what a human has as well.

Sharks don’t just smell prey in the water, they smell it in stereo. When a shark is swimming and there’s injured prey in the water, the smell will hit one nostril before another. The shark will navigate by the timing of the smell that reaches it, so it will turn towards whichever nostril smelled the smell first. As they swim, moving their head through the smell, they pick which nostril is getting the most smell to direct their movements.

In highly concentrated areas of smell, say a pool of blood, they need to be able to distinguish which nostril is getting the highest concentration of smell and adjust their tack based on that. They can make these adjustments to their direction in mere seconds. 

6. Venomous Sharks live in the Thames River

There are a lot of dangerous animals in the world, and they can be dangerous for different reasons. Things like bees and hornets attack in large groups. A cheetah is fast. A rattlesnake is venomous. And a shark has deadly jaws and speed in the water. But at least that’s all. Except for a couple of species of sharks that are actually venomous, too.

Turns out that being a shark just isn’t intimidating enough for a handful of species, including one that’s been found in the Thames River in England.  Though the Thames was essentially a polluted trickle of death for many years, it’s been making a steady comeback lately and part of that has included signs of sharks known as spurdogs in the water. Spurdogs are just under two feet in length and have spines in front of their dorsal fins that can envenomate prey. 

5. Cookie Cutter Sharks Disabled Nuclear Subs

Jaws made us afraid of Great White sharks but the real terror of the deep are cookiecutter sharks. They may only be 20 inches long, but these little beasts have a real horror movie side to them, which is basically their mouths. They get their name because that mouth allows them to bite nearly perfect circles out of their prey. And then some.

Turns out the sharks like to bite almost everything, including nuclear subs. Their tiny size and unique mouths meant that, back when nuclear subs were first taking to the water, any exposed non-metal parts were perfect prey for the sharks. They’d bite hoses and cables and whatever else they could reach. Their attacks on rubber sonar domes blinded subs and forced them to return to dock for repairs. 

The subs were later designed with some stronger materials and the tiny sharks’ reign of terror was over, at least insofar as it related to nuclear weapons.

4. Sharks Were Discovered in an Active Underwater Volcano

The microscopic tardigrade is one of the most indestructible creatures in the world. They can survive mountaintops and the depths of the ocean, they can survive outer space and temperatures that range from -328 degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It seems like no environment is too extreme. And, as it happens, there are some sharks that have taken a page from the tardigrade’s book.

Near the Solomon Islands there’s an underwater volcano called Kavachi. It’s an active volcano, and it erupts frequently, spewing ash and lava and chemicals into the water. In 2015, when researchers went to investigate, it was not erupting at that time, but the water was still very hot and acidic. They sent down a camera and saw two species of shark living right in the caldera of the volcano. 

Sharks are known to be able to endure deep water, so the water around the volcano is just another extreme. It’s believed that their ability to sense electromagnetic signals may help them survive by warning them before the volcano actually erupts so they can leave the area.

3. Sharks Like Jazz

There is an abundance of research that shows animals like music. Classical music causes cows to produce more milk. Elephants seem to like classical music as well. And sharks? Well, they respond to jazz.

Based on research that involved using food as a reward, researchers determined that sharks were more attracted to the sound of jazz music than something like classical. When they played jazz music, the sharks would swim towards it to get their food reward. When combined with classical the sharks got confused but cut them a break, they’re just fish. 

The research is a nice complement to the idea that sharks tend to be attracted to certain sounds in water, in particular boat engines. People on boats chum the waters, in particular when they want to swim with sharks, so it shows sharks can learn to go towards certain sounds that might otherwise seem like they should offer nothing or even scare animals away.

2. Bull Sharks Can Live in Freshwater

Although Great White sharks get a lot of press because of movies like Jaws and the fact that they’re just kind of huge, they are not considered the most dangerous shark in the sea. That honor goes to bull sharks. Bull sharks are highly aggressive and are not afraid to protect their territory. Keep in mind there are not that many shark attacks from any species at all, but bull sharks are still one of the more aggressive species in the water. And the fact they’re not confined to saltwater makes them a little more intimidating.

Most sharks need to regulate the levels of salt in their body and that requires them to live in saltwater all the time. A great white shark in freshwater will die fairly quickly as its cells breakdown due to a lack of salt when their body essentially becomes diluted with freshwater. A bull shark, however, has adapted the ability to recycle salt in its own body through its kidneys and some tail glands that retain salt.

Bull sharks typically have their young in fresh or brackish water, which helps protect them from predators. Though they do head out to sea eventually, they are able to stay and thrive in freshwater. 

1. Sharks Can Pushed Their Insides Right Out

Sharks are known as voracious eaters.A great white can sustain itself for around two weeks on 66 pounds of food. A whale shark will consume 46 pounds of plankton per day. Suffice it to say, sharks can eat. And not everything they consume is even food. Some have been caught with things as bizarre as wine bottles, drums, and even a cannonball in their stomachs. 

Given how much goes into a shark, it seems reasonable that there has to be a way for it to get back out again. And there is, even if it’s not the way you’d think. Sharks have the ability to throw up in the most over the top way possible, by forcing their entire stomachs back out of their mouths. 

The act is most often seen when sharks are under stress, from things like being caught by fishermen or being beached, for instance. 

It’s believed that sharks do this not just out of stress, but also to essentially rinse out their stomachs. If they have a lot of foreign material or dangerous materials inside, they can dump it, rinse it in seawater, and suck it right back in. It takes only a moment for a shark to push its stomach out and then swallow it again, and they seem to be no worse for it once it’s done.