10/07/2026
A Greenland shark may have been swimming through Arctic waters for nearly four centuries. 🦈🌊
Scientists studying Greenland sharks estimated one individual to be about 392 years old, though the calculation carried a wide margin of uncertainty. Researchers used radiocarbon dating of proteins in the eye lens to estimate age. The findings confirmed that Greenland sharks can live for centuries, making them the longest-lived vertebrates currently known to science.
References:
Science: Radiocarbon Dating of Greenland Shark Eye-Lens Proteins Revealed Lifespans Extending for Several Centuries.
University of Copenhagen: Researchers Estimated the Oldest Greenland Shark in the Study at Roughly 392 Years, With a Wide Range of Uncertainty.
National Geographic: Greenland Sharks Grow Extremely Slowly and Are Considered the Longest-Lived Vertebrates Known to Science.