🦈 A 392-Year-Old Greenland Shark Has Been Roaming the Arctic Since the 1600s
In the icy depths of the Arctic, scientists have discovered something truly astonishing — a female Greenland shark estimated to be 392 years old. That means she began her journey long before airplanes, electricity, or even the invention of the steam engine.
This incredible find places her among the oldest known living vertebrates on Earth, proving that nature still holds secrets far beyond our imagination.
🌍 Read more about fascinating natural wonders in our Global section ↗.
The Secrets of Greenland Sharks’ Longevity
Greenland sharks live in the deep, cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, moving slowly through the darkness. Scientists believe their ultra-slow growth rate — about one centimeter per year — plays a key role in their astonishing lifespan.
Unlike most animals, they mature very late, often not reproducing until they are well over 100 years old. This slow pace of life shields them from many of the stressors that shorten the lives of other species.
According to a study published in Science ↗, carbon dating of eye tissue helped researchers estimate the shark’s remarkable age.
🧠 Related: Explore how memories are stored across different brain regions ↗ — another mind-blowing biological discovery.
A Living Link to the Past
To think that this shark has roamed the oceans since the early 1600s is humbling. She has survived centuries of change — from the rise and fall of empires to the digital age — all while gliding silently beneath Arctic ice.
Her story is a reminder of how much we still have to learn about life beneath the waves and why it’s vital to protect fragile ocean ecosystems from overfishing and climate change.
By safeguarding creatures like the Greenland shark, we also protect centuries of natural history and wisdom encoded in their DNA.
