7 Unbelievable Shark Facts You Simply Must Believe

Sharks have been around for more than 420 million years. Respect your terrifying elders by learning about them for more than just one week a year.

Here are seven weird shark facts that will make you go, "Huh, I really hate that I know that."

7

THE AMERICAN POCKET SHARK IS 5.5 INCHES AND GLOWS IN THE DARK. Discovered in 2010, it's only one of two pocket-sized shark species. Source: Ocean Conservancy

6

SHARKS CAN HAVE VIRGIN BIRTHS. Even though it's rare, there have been multiple recorded cases of female sharks giving birth to live young without maSource: Atlas Obscura

5

THE OLDEST KNOWN SHARK IS BETWEEN 272 AND 512 YEARS OLD. Greenland sharks are the oldest living vertebrate. They don't reach sexual maturity until aroSource: BBC

4

SHARKS DON'T GET CAVITIES. At least two species have a tooth coating made of 100% flouride, a main ingredient of toothpaste. CRACKED.COM Source: Phys Org

3

WHALE SHARKS HAVE TINY TEETH ON THEIR EYEBALLS. The denticles provide protection to their vulnerable eyes. Whale sharks can also retract their eyeballSource: PLOS ONE

2

MALE GHOSTSHARKS HAVE RETRACTABLE SEX ORGANS ON THEIR FOREHEADS. The appendage of the Eastern Pacific black ghostshark resembles a spiked club. ResearSource: National Geographic

1

BABY SAND TIGER SHARKS EAT THEIR SIBLINGS IN THE WOMB. What starts as a two dozen embryos results in two dominant baby sharks. After that, the babies Source: Smithsonian