Sharks

I had no idea what this week's post should be so I decided that I would pick the first thing off the top of my head.

And for some reason that was sharks. 

To start off, I know nothing about sharks. I haven't even been to an aquarium. If I did, I don't remember.

But sharks are cool. And I HAVE been wanting to know more about them soo...here we go! 

I learned somewhere that sharks are older than trees.They were there more than 450 million years ago according to fossils, while trees only began popping around 390 to 350 million years ago. Which is cool. 

THE MOST DANGEROUS SHARK IN THE WORLD is the great white shark, known for 350 unprovoked documented attacks on humans. They are one of the biggest apex predators in the world!

And following the Great Whites, are the Bull Shark and Tiger shark. I wonder why most sharks are named after other animals...that's how far human creativity will go, huh?

ANOTHER FUN FACT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE, Sharks don't have a single bone in their body. Instead, their entire skeletal system is made up of cartilage, that bendy thing on the top of your ears. The only hardened, enamel covered portions they have are their teeth.

And those aren't even permanent! 

Sharks cycle through almost 30,000 or more teeth in a lifetime.

They sometimes even lose them every week! Imagine how rich their dentist must be!

Speaking of a shark's lifetime, Greenland sharks grow VERY slowly. And I mean VERY! They can live between 250 and 300 years old!

Most of the time, smaller sharks live longer, like DOGS!

Most sharks don't eat humans and when they do bite they are like

-"Hey, that looks like a tasty fish! (bites) UGH! It isn't a fish!"

-Heyyyy...is that a fish? It doesn't look like a fish...but if it is I'll lose on a tasty meal...BETTER BITE AND FIND OUT!

Sharks can differentiate between human blood and largely don't care for ours.

But if a shark is approaching you, here's what you do-

Don't flail your arms and legs around like an injured fish. Because injured fish are FOOD.

Do not punch the shark on the nose. THAT IS A MYTH. The sharks are the ones who started the rumours! Their snouts are heavily protected!

If you HAVE to protect yourself from them biting you - aim for their gills or eyes. THAT's their most sensitive spots!

But don't try to do that.

If you don't have to protect yourself immediately, just back up slowly with eye contact. Sharks are ambush predators. The fun's gone if you know they are there.

That's it on my shark tangent. That was fun!

FROM YOUR NEWEST SHARK ENTHUSIAST

N.M SIRIUS

SIRIUS OUT!