Posted on 12/13/2017 10:56:09 AM PST by nickcarraway
A SHARK believed to be the oldest living vertebrate has been discovered in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Danish scientists found the ancient creature — which is believed to be 512 years old and is 18ft long.
The shark is the world's oldest vertebrate – an animal with a backbone – and may have been born in 1505, when King Henry VIII was just 14 years old.
According to the journal Science, Greenland sharks grow at just one cm a year.
So when they discovered a female shark measuring a whopping 18 feet, they knew this creature had to be incredibly old.
Scientists used radiocarbon dating to analyse the eye lens of 28 different Greenland sharks.
The oldest shark found came out as 392 years old.
As radiocarbon dating has a 95% certainty, the shark's true age could be between 272 and 512 years.
If this is true, the shark will have lived through Galileo's discovery that the Earth orbits the Sun, and the founding of the United States.
Incredibly, Greenland sharks don't reach sexual maturity until the age of 156, but it can happen as young as 134 according to findings.
Their flesh is considered a delicacy in Iceland, but is also toxic, containing a chemical that when eaten gives a sensation similar to extreme drunkenness.
Must have a good chiropractor.
Their flesh is considered a delicacy in Iceland, but is also toxic, containing a chemical that when eaten gives a sensation similar to extreme drunkenness.
Only her hair dresser knows for sure...
Hakarl! mmm.. going to need a lot of akvavit..
Doesn’t it have to rot in the ground a bit first before its “edible”.
Spoken like a true optimist...
Democrat icon member of Congress?
Sharks don’t have bones, only cartilage...............
Incredibly, Greenland sharks don’t reach sexual maturity until the age of 156, but it can happen as young as 134 according to findings.
...
Also known as the Helen Thomas shark.
Sounds like fun!.....................
“Greenland sharks don’t reach sexual maturity until the age of 156,”
156 years a virgin? That’s not good. XD
Life really doesn’t begin until 150 or so.
Actually, Galileo did not "discover" that the Earth orbits the Sun-- other scientists before his time (including Copernicus) had hypothesized the same thing. Galileo's problem (as well as that of the earlier thinkers) was that, even though he was right, the theory he offered did not convince the scientists of his time (including those in the Church). His proposal assumed the planets orbited the sun in a circle, which they don't, and that the ocean tides were proof of the rotation of the earth, which it isn't. It wasn't until latter scientists discoveries of the elliptical orbits of planets and star parallax that the model would work.
an animal with a backbone
That leaves out Republicans in Congress /s
I saw them preparing and eating that shite on a travel show once. It’s nasty and it stinks but they love it. If it’s what I’m thinking of.
LOL!
Sound like a whopper of a fish tale to me.
Doesn’t look a day over 350.
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