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jpak

(41,758 posts) Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:06 PM Aug 2016

400-year-old Greenland shark ‘longest-living vertebrate’

Source: BBC

Greenland sharks are now the longest-living vertebrates known on Earth, scientists say.

Researchers used radiocarbon dating to determine the ages of 28 of the animals, and estimated that one female was about 400 years old.

The team found that the sharks grow at just 1cm a year, and reach sexual maturity at about the age of 150.

The research is published in the journal Science.

<more>

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37047168

this is cool enough for LBN - i hope

34 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

400-year-old Greenland shark ‘longest-living vertebrate’ (Original Post) jpak Aug 2016 OP

Tres cool!! nt Lucky Luciano Aug 2016 #1

Sharks are cool enough for anywhere. LeftyMom Aug 2016 #2

I hope Greenland is far enough away from the shark-fin soup aficionados to be safe. Aristus Aug 2016 #3

They're toxic because they have special chemistry to survive low temperatures. LeftyMom Aug 2016 #10

I'm hoping some Trump spawn doesn't want to cut its tail off. Hassin Bin Sober Aug 2016 #32

Locking. Born 400 years ago - not LBN jberryhill Aug 2016 #4

PFFFttt sfkskfk 111111 jpak Aug 2016 #6

Did we jump the shark? jberryhill Aug 2016 #7

booo jpak Aug 2016 #11

We're gonna need a bigger thread jberryhill Aug 2016 #16

Sheesh.... Rebubula Aug 2016 #24

betta jpak Aug 2016 #25

DUzy! n/t area51 Aug 2016 #19

It IS so cool! thecrow Aug 2016 #5

One was caught with an entire reindeer in it stomach jpak Aug 2016 #8

This isn't my op to promote but the poster of the companion thread in the science group NWCorona Aug 2016 #9

Apparently, the Greenland shark is a considered a delicacy in Iceland, but there's no chance the Little Tich Aug 2016 #12

Had relatives visit Iceland this June and had this jpak Aug 2016 #13

So this fermented shark and things like kiviak... LuvLoogie Aug 2016 #18

they have adapted perfectly to their environment KT2000 Aug 2016 #14

I didn't know you could use radiocarbon-dating on TheDebbieDee Aug 2016 #15

We are carbon based lifeforms. Rex Aug 2016 #20

But most of an organism gets replaced as it lives muriel_volestrangler Aug 2016 #21

And it worked! Rex Aug 2016 #29

D'jever look into a shark's eyes? jberryhill Aug 2016 #31

They have one of my favorite genus names. cab67 Aug 2016 #17

Poor Denmark all that old age pension to pay. whistler162 Aug 2016 #22

We are the peak of creation, given dominion over the Earth and made in God's image whatthehey Aug 2016 #23

Jesus rode around on this shark Downtown Hound Aug 2016 #26

Yeah, but they almost all have parasites eating their eyes. LeftyMom Aug 2016 #28

That's one lucky copepod - rent control for life jpak Aug 2016 #30

Says he is voting for Trump because "Old sharks must stick together." yellowcanine Aug 2016 #27

KnR Hekate Aug 2016 #33

It looks so happy ansible Aug 2016 #34

Lucky Luciano

(11,256 posts)

1. Tres cool!! nt

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:12 PM

Aug 2016

LeftyMom

(49,212 posts)

2. Sharks are cool enough for anywhere.

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:17 PM

Aug 2016

Fact.

Aristus

(66,377 posts)

3. I hope Greenland is far enough away from the shark-fin soup aficionados to be safe.

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:18 PM

Aug 2016

Those guys are monsters...

LeftyMom

(49,212 posts)

10. They're toxic because they have special chemistry to survive low temperatures.

Reply to Aristus (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:28 PM

Aug 2016

To eat them they either have to be boiled with a ton of water changes or buried and left to rot for a while.

Hassin Bin Sober

(26,328 posts)

32. I'm hoping some Trump spawn doesn't want to cut its tail off.

Reply to Aristus (Reply #3)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 08:11 PM

Aug 2016

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

4. Locking. Born 400 years ago - not LBN

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:18 PM

Aug 2016

jpak

(41,758 posts)

6. PFFFttt sfkskfk 111111

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #4)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:20 PM

Aug 2016

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

7. Did we jump the shark?

Reply to jpak (Reply #6)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:22 PM

Aug 2016

jpak

(41,758 posts)

11. booo

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #7)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:32 PM

Aug 2016

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

16. We're gonna need a bigger thread

Reply to jpak (Reply #11)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 11:45 PM

Aug 2016

Rebubula

(2,868 posts)

24. Sheesh....

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #16)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 09:50 AM

Aug 2016

.....Keeping those JAWS flapping I see...

jpak

(41,758 posts)

25. betta

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #16)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 10:41 AM

Aug 2016

area51

(11,909 posts)

19. DUzy! n/t

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #4)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 02:56 AM

Aug 2016

thecrow

(5,519 posts)

5. It IS so cool!

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:20 PM

Aug 2016

Let's just hope that this knowledge doesn't make them a target!
From the picture, it looks like they have more human-like eyes and.... are they blue?
So cool. I heard this on the radio earlier, but hadn't seen the picture.
Thanks for posting!

jpak

(41,758 posts)

8. One was caught with an entire reindeer in it stomach

Reply to thecrow (Reply #5)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:23 PM

Aug 2016

antlers and all

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)

9. This isn't my op to promote but the poster of the companion thread in the science group

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:25 PM

Aug 2016

has an excellent follow up link regarding the radiocarbon dating.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/122848552

Little Tich

(6,171 posts)

12. Apparently, the Greenland shark is a considered a delicacy in Iceland, but there's no chance the

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:33 PM

Aug 2016

idea will spread.

Hákarl
Source: Wikipedia
(snip)

Consumption
Fermented shark is chosen instead of fresh shark meat because the meat of the Greenland shark is poisonous when fresh, due to a high content of urea and trimethylamine oxide, but may be consumed after being processed (see below). Allowing the shark to fully decay and cure removes the toxins from the flesh, making it edible. Kæstur hákarl contains a large amount of ammonia and has a strong smell, similar to many cleaning products. It is often served in cubes on toothpicks. Those new to it may gag involuntarily on the first attempt to eat it because of the high ammonia content. First-timers are sometimes advised to pinch their nose while taking the first bite, as the smell is much stronger than the taste. It is often eaten with a shot of the local spirit, a type of akvavit called brennivín. Eating kæstan hákarl is often associated with hardiness and strength.

jpak

(41,758 posts)

13. Had relatives visit Iceland this June and had this

Reply to Little Tich (Reply #12)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 09:40 PM

Aug 2016

Didn't realize it was Greenland Shark.

Scandinavians had many such "survival fare" - Lutefisk, Sour Herring etc, that today is accompanied by "strong drink" and raw onions.

but mostly "strong drink"

LuvLoogie

(7,003 posts)

18. So this fermented shark and things like kiviak...

Reply to jpak (Reply #13)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 12:10 AM

Aug 2016

I really think that the first time these things were eaten was not by design. I think that a starving band of inuit came upon some dead guys stashed sealskin bag of birds and ate them. And they didn't die or get sick. The smart ones realized that the auks flew away six months ago.

Likewise with the shark. Some really hungry guy went after that shark that was bobbing around for a few.

KT2000

(20,577 posts)

14. they have adapted perfectly to their environment

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 10:15 PM

Aug 2016

on the other hand, humans adapt the environment to suit themselves and in the process, destroy it. So these sharks live to 400 years and humans anywhere from zero to a hundred. Hmmm. Maybe we didn't think it through when we left the water.

TheDebbieDee

(11,119 posts)

15. I didn't know you could use radiocarbon-dating on

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 11, 2016, 10:33 PM

Aug 2016

animate, living things...

Rex

(65,616 posts)

20. We are carbon based lifeforms.

Reply to TheDebbieDee (Reply #15)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 03:07 AM

Aug 2016

Works great on organic material.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,318 posts)

21. But most of an organism gets replaced as it lives

Reply to Rex (Reply #20)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 04:31 AM

Aug 2016

As the article says, they had to use the eye lens (in fact, as the LA Times article makes clear, the centre of the lens), because that's one part that doesn't get gradually replaced. And then they had to make approximations based on known C-14 levels in the oceans for times, and the size of the sharks.

Rex

(65,616 posts)

29. And it worked!

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #21)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 05:17 PM

Aug 2016

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

31. D'jever look into a shark's eyes?

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #21)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 08:05 PM

Aug 2016

Sometimes that shark, he looks right into ya, right into your eyes. Y’know, the thing about a shark, he’s got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. When he comes after ya, he doesn’t seem to be livin’ until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white...

cab67

(2,993 posts)

17. They have one of my favorite genus names.

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 12:07 AM

Aug 2016

Somniosus.

(They're part of a group commonly called "sleeper sharks".)

whistler162

(11,155 posts)

22. Poor Denmark all that old age pension to pay.

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 09:25 AM

Aug 2016

whatthehey

(3,660 posts)

23. We are the peak of creation, given dominion over the Earth and made in God's image

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Fri Aug 12, 2016, 09:47 AM

Aug 2016

But these fish live 5 times as long, get replacement teeth naturally whenever they need them, are almost entirely free of cancer and what's more are poisonous so we don't even eat them.

Divine design criteria are a bit strange. Maybe he should have done a quick QFD project first...