"Swimming with sharks" sits on the bucket list of many divers — whether it's heading to Yonaguni in Okinawa to witness a Hammerhead Shark storm, or flying out to the Maldives for a face-to-face encounter with a Tiger Shark. Reading this, you're probably already running through your own big-animal wish list. But there are plenty of shark species you might not know yet — are you curious about shark behavior, lifestyle, and more?
This time, the Editor headed to the American Museum of Natural History in New York to explore the limited-run shark exhibition "Discover the World of Sharks", and has handpicked five highlights to share with you. Let's dive in!
Older Than Dinosaurs! A 290-Million-Year-Old Helicoprion Fossil on Display
The American Museum of Natural History is also the filming location of Night at the Museum, and its rich collection of dinosaur fossils draws visitors from around the world. But did you know? Sharks have a history on Earth far older than dinosaurs. One of the centerpiece exhibits of "Discover the World of Sharks" is a prehistoric giant from 290 million years ago — the fossil of the now-extinct Helicoprion.
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A Helicoprion fossil from the collection of the American Museum of Natural History.[/caption]
Resembling a wheel in shape, the fossil reveals rows of serrated teeth coiled into a spiral. How exactly did these spiraling "whorl teeth" arrange and function inside the shark's mouth as a hunting weapon? It turns out that as new teeth continuously grew, the older ones were pushed inward toward the center. It's easy to imagine this spiral-toothed predator hunting along the ocean floor hundreds of millions of years ago — but sadly, the Helicoprion is extinct, and the full picture of what it truly looked like remains a mystery, left entirely to our imagination.
In addition to the 290-million-year-old Helicoprion fossil, if you'd like to see sharks in their full form, the exhibition also features dozens of lifelike shark models. The largest model stretches ten meters in length and is one of the most popular photo opportunities, with visitors lining up for a shot. After snapping a photo, be sure to take in the exhibition's wealth of shark information — here are three fun facts we've selected to share with you. Read on!
Learn Something New at the Shark Exhibition: Three Fun Facts About Sharks
Shark Fun Fact 1. Sharks Aren't Always Big! The World's Smallest Shark Is Only 14 cm
When people think of sharks, many instinctively picture a massive, imposing creature — but the world's smallest shark, the American Pocket Shark, measures just 14 cm in length, smaller than an adult's palm. Scientists first discovered this species in 2019; its defining feature is a gland-like pocket that secretes a bioluminescent liquid, making it an exceedingly rare species in the ocean. Taking a look at the lifelike model, the size comparison makes its miniature form instantly obvious!
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Spot the super-tiny shark yet? On the right side of the image is the American Pocket Shark — the world's smallest shark, measuring just 14 cm in length.[/caption]
One more note: in front of the pocket shark in the image above, there's another small shark — the dwarf lantern shark — measuring just 20 cm in length. Its belly and fins are covered in photophores, and its large eyes help it see more clearly in dark environments.
Shark Fun Fact 2. Sharks Can Replace Their Teeth Indefinitely
Humans only replace their teeth once in a lifetime, but sharks replace theirs throughout their entire lives! Anyone prone to cavities or dental trouble would surely envy sharks — they can grow a fresh set of teeth every few weeks.
A shark's teeth are not fixed to its skull; instead, they are attached to a membrane that functions like a conveyor belt. As new teeth grow outward, the outermost teeth are retired and replaced, ensuring the shark always has a sharp set at the ready. Take the Bull Shark as an example: a Bull Shark can have seven rows of teeth with up to 50 teeth per row — and all 350 teeth are continuously renewed, giving the shark a perfect set at all times!
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Take a look at a shark's tooth structure through the lifelike model! Pretty enviable that they can keep replacing their teeth, isn't it?[/caption]
Shark Fun Fact 3. Sharks' Electromagnetic Sense
Do sharks have a sixth sense? Indeed they do — electroreception, the ability to detect electromagnetic fields. All living creatures emit weak electrical fields, and sharks rely on this sixth sense to hunt prey even when visibility and smell are insufficient. Prey hiding beneath the sand, for instance, cannot escape a shark's detection.
This is made possible by a special structure found on sharks called the ampullae of Lorenzini — a type of sensory organ that can detect subtle changes in electrical fields and transmit nerve signals to the brain.
Sharks Share Surprising Traits with Land Animals
To help visitors feel a closer connection to sharks, the exhibition features interactive stations where guests can guess which land animals share surprisingly similar behavioral traits with certain shark species. Through these connections, it becomes much easier to visualize how sharks live. Give it a think yourself!
- Stingrays —— Bees
- Angel sharks —— Frogs
- Baby lemon sharks —— Mice
Stingrays and bees both use venomous stingers to defend against enemies — that one's not too hard to guess! But how are sharks similar to frogs or mice? It all comes down to self-protection strategies: Angel sharks and frogs both use camouflage, blending seamlessly into sandy seabeds or leaf-covered ground to conceal themselves. Baby lemon sharks and mice, on the other hand, are adept at using their surroundings to create safe shelters — baby lemon sharks hide among the roots of mangrove plants until they've grown strong enough, while mice build cozy refuges from grass and leaves.
Being Bitten by a Shark, Winning the Lottery, or Being Struck by Lightning — Which Is More Likely?
After learning so much more about sharks, do you feel a little closer to them? Most divers who plunge into the deep blue love and look forward to encountering sharks — but there are still many people in the world who misunderstand, and therefore fear, them. That fear often stems from ignorance, compounded by all manner of mysterious stories that have labelled sharks as villains. The classic 1975 film Jaws — the first movie in history to gross over $100 million at the box office — cemented shark phobia deep in the public consciousness.
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"Sharks can be dangerous — but you're more likely to win the lottery or be struck by lightning than end up as a shark's meal." A humorous caption that brings a smile to your face (we'd love to win the lottery too!)[/caption]
The exhibition uses interactive displays to visualize data: press a button and you can see the number of people killed by shark bites compared to those killed by flea and insect bites. Leading the fatality count by far is mosquito bites, responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths globally each year; deaths caused by flea bites number in the hundreds; deaths caused by shark bites total around ten. The exhibition goes on to note: "The drowning fatality rate is 23,600 times higher than the shark bite fatality rate."
"Who Is More Dangerous Than Sharks?" Shark Conservation Efforts Underway
Sharks cause roughly ten human deaths per year — but how many sharks die at human hands each year? According to information provided by the exhibition, approximately 100 million sharks are killed by humans annually. Of the roughly 1,200 species of sharks and closely related marine animals, at least 391 species are classified as threatened with extinction due to overfishing. While the number of sharks dying at human hands has declined year on year, much of the reason is simply that shark populations themselves have shrunk…
The exhibition also highlights important shark conservation information, sharing international efforts being made to protect sharks:
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- Fiji: Approximately 63,000 divers visit Fiji each year, of whom 78% go to see sharks, generating NT$842 million in annual tourism revenue. Local dive operators have partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society to rally thousands of divers to participate in documenting shark populations (The Great Fiji Shark Count), providing critical data for marine protected areas.
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- Palau: In 2009, Palau declared all surrounding waters a shark sanctuary — the world's first shark fishing ban — and introduced corresponding penalties. This was a landmark moment for global shark conservation. In the following decade, 16 other countries followed Palau's lead in banning shark fishing.
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Simulate a Hammerhead Shark on the hunt — this is the most popular mini-game in the exhibition, requiring you to queue up for a turn. Definitely give it a try.[/caption]
Of course, a shark exhibition wouldn't be complete without some lighthearted fun! Visitors can use an interactive station to simulate a Hammerhead Shark's underwater hunting challenge — steering direction and dive depth with hand gestures in mid-air, dodging reef rocks along the way, and finally swimming to sandy ground to find a Stingray and seizing the perfect moment to strike (which is actually trickier than it sounds). And to wrap things up, you can transform into different shark species for a fun souvenir photo.
After exploring New York's limited-run shark exhibition with the Editor, are there other places you'd like us to visit and bring back first-hand coverage? Join the BlueTrend official LINE account and leave us a message to let us know!
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