Sharks

Even though the basking shark is the world's second-largest fish, much of its life has eluded observation. Now, however, researchers have determined that the usually solitary animals find mates by meeting up and circling around one another.

By combining cutting-edge digital modeling with analysis of a rare, one-of-a-kind fossil, scientists have managed to piece together the first 3D reconstruction of the megalodon, the largest shark to ever live.

Although great white sharks have few natural enemies, orcas have been known to prey on them. A new study now shows that due to attacks by just two orcas, great whites are staying away from parts of South Africa.

A team led by Jeremy McCormack at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has found evidence that competition with great white sharks may have contributed to the extinction of the megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived.

Although it's not a hard and fast rule, marine animals that live in cold climates tend to grow larger than their warm-water counterparts. According to a new study, such may have true for everyone's favorite prehistoric shark, the megalodon.

Zero-emissions airliners are still a long way off, but Lufthansa and BASF have developed a way to improve things right now. AeroShark is an adhesive riblet film that immediately reduces fuel consumption, and therefore emissions, from any aircraft.

In most depictions of the extinct megalodon shark, it looks pretty much like a super-sized version of its modern relative, the great white. According to a new study, however, it may actually have been considerably less similar in appearance.

Back in 2019, we heard how scientists at Australia's Flinders University were developing a lightweight material that might someday be used in shark-bite-resistant wetsuits. Well, that day has arrived, and such a suit is now on Kickstarter.

If you've seen even a single shark documentary, then you've probably heard that the majority of attacks on humans are likely due to sharks mistaking people for seals. Scientists now say they've confirmed that theory, using computer models.

They might hold a reputation as one of the ocean's most ruthless predators, but new research has shown that different species of sharks can actually go to some lengths to keep peace in the seas by doing their hunting in shifts.

Sharks have been around a long time, so it should come as no surprise to hear that even the first humans had run-ins with them. Scientists have now discovered evidence of the earliest-known such attack, which occurred 3,000 years ago in Japan.

Scientists have discovered a hitherto unknown mass extinction event that decimated the global shark population some 19 million years ago. The study authors say the event saw sharks almost entirely disappear from the open ocean in its wake.