TIL Greenland sharks can live at least 272 years, possibly about 400

cluse started this discussion on Sep 27, 2026 in til_nature

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Posted 21 hours ago

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Edited 21 hours ago

Researchers dated the proteins in their eye lenses, which form before birth and never change. The sharks aren't mature until they're about 150.

Source: Nielsen et al., Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark, Science (2016). doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf1703

Image: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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A Greenland shark swimming near the seafloor

Image: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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