Random Fascinating Facts About Sharks That Most People Don't Know (15 items)

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  (#2) Female Sharks Fertilize Eggs Without A Male

  Most species require both a male and a female to create life, but sharks are not like most species. Thanks to a phenomenon known as parthenogenesis, female sharks can breed once and store the collected sperm until a later date for self-reproduction. Female sharks do this for protection during the mating season because males are especially ferocious when it comes to mating, as they tend to bite and injure females while participating in courtship rituals. 
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  (#4) Sharks Have Roamed The Earth's Waters For Over 419 Million Years

  Sharks have been around for over 419 million years and have adapted to increase their survival rates. For example, the great white is recorded as the largest predatory fish in the ocean, averaging 15 to 20 feet long. While great whites may sound intimidating in stature, there was an even larger predatory shark that lived millions of years ago called the megalodon. 

  Megalodons resembled the great white in every aspect, save for its immense size. In length alone, the megalodon was said to have grown up to 59 feet!  
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  (#15) Latern Sharks Glow In The Dark

  The lantern sharks are a species that are rarely seen. In fact, they enjoy living in the furthest depths of the ocean’s dark waters. Lantern sharks have the amazing ability to glow in the dark and appear invisible to predators below them. When they light up, they let off a soft, luminous glow that is produced by organs called photophores. Researchers believe the sharks may be glowing to attract a mate and to ward off or hide from predators.  
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  (#7) You Are More Likely To Be Taken Out By A Coconut Than A Shark

  While you may be afraid of swimming in the ocean because of sharks, the truth is sharks are less lethal than you think. Research even shows that sharks honestly don't like the taste of human flesh, but attack out of confusion (you may resemble a seal). In fact, you're more likely to be injured or ended by a falling coconut or a mosquito than by a shark!

  What's even more odd is that you're more likely to be injured or ended by a toilet-related accident than by a shark. Reports from 1996 show that over 43,000 Americans were injured in a toilet-related incident within that year, while shark injuries involved a mere 13 human-related incidents. Shark-related deaths are low, only averaging about 10 a year, which is less than one a month. 
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  (#8) Shark Teeth Are Cleaner Than You Think

  After eating schools of fish and devouring oceanic carcasses, you would think that shark teeth were far from being pearly white. But in actuality, a shark’s teeth are cleaner than you would expect because shark teeth are covered in fluoride. This makes them cavity-resistant against bacteria.

  Add that to the fact that sharks replace their teeth consistently and the result is some major dental protection. 
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  (#10) Sharks Can Sense Blood In The Water Over Half A Mile Away

  You may have heard that sharks are attracted to blood in the ocean, but did you know they can smell a few drops of blood in the water from as far as half a mile away? Sharks have a keen sense of smell, thanks to their highly developed sensors known as olfactory receptors. When the scent of blood molecules passes over the shark's sensors, it immediately knows where to turn to follow the trail. 

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