Marine biologists found a Greenland shark reaching 500 years in age, surpassing the previous record held by a 211-year-old bowhead whale.

OP: @mojo@aus.social

Marine biologists found a Greenland shark reaching 500 years in age, surpassing the previous record held by a 211-year-old bowhead whale.

Imagine discovering a creature that could be as old as 500 years, swimming in the depths of the ocean. This is exactly what you find with the Greenland shark, a species now recognized as the longest-lived vertebrate in the world.

  • TriflingToad@lemmy.world
    7·
    26 days ago

    I don’t think anyone understands how long ago 500 years is, myself included.

    this shark is so damn old it was around before the √ symbol.
    This shark is so old it predates the discovery of the grand canyon.
    Its so old graphite Pencils didn’t even exist
    The EARTH ORBING THE SUN WASNT DISCOVERED YET.

    • crapwittyname@lemm.ee
      5·
      26 days ago

      Funny you should say that last part. The shark’s estimated age is 392 years (500+ is an upper estimate) which would mean it was born in 1632, the same year that Galileo disproved the earth orbiting the sun.