Jaws first aired 50 years ago, in 1975. The film shows a shark that terrorizes New England by taking swimmers out of the water. The town’s Mayor initially denied the existence of a shark that devoured humans, but he sent a three-man team to kill the creature. Jaws’ shark was aggressive and unpredictable. Many people were scared of the ocean, and especially sharks. Many marine scientists say that it has made them even love sharks. Steve Kessel is a marine biologist at Chicago’s John G. Shedd aquarium and director of research in marine biology. He says Jaws, his favorite movie. I begged and pleaded with my mother to watch Jaws, which was the beginning of my obsession with sharks.
It’s not surprising that Jaws has become a favorite among marine scientists. Here are 10 more interesting facts about White Sharks.
1. White Sharks had a Name Change
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During the Jaws era, the Carcharodon carcharias was known as the great white shark . The taxonomists were concerned because the lesser white shark was not present. Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to add a word such as ‘great’. Now this shark is called the white shark. Kessel: “This has happened within the past five years.”
A research institute located at California State University Long Beach has studied shark behavior on the south California coast. Sharks are often seen swimming near swimmers or surfers, but people don’t notice. Kessel states that “a shark will be within 50 metres (160 feet), almost always, of swimmers.” The interaction rates are high. “If they were dangerous there would have been someone killed every day.”
But people still need to be careful. They are predatory, large animals that you must respect. Lifeguards are there to help you. Kessel advises: “Don’t pursue them or harass them.
3. Sharks Are Older Than Humans (19659011) Hominins were first discovered about six millions years ago. Sharks are much older. Kessel:
The sharks in our oceans are about 250,000,000 years old.
4. Kessel says that white sharks have a warm blood.
It gives them an advantage in terms of acceleration over other species, because their muscles are warm and ready for action.
5. White Sharks Are Cautious Hunters.
In Jaws, the beast was ready to grab anything, including boats, rafts and, to its doom (spoiler), a diving tank. White sharks will not make any moves until they know they’ll be successful. They will still maim the prey rather than fight to death. Kessel says, “They do not want to injure their prey so they hit them and let them bleed out or wait until they are weak.”
Click here to read more: Do Great White Sharks Attack 100-Foot Blue Whales?
6. White Sharks have big babies
At birth, white shark pups measure about 4 feet. Kessel claims that white sharks, compared to other species, are large when born. They are large enough to deter sharks that would otherwise eat one of them. Kessel says, “There aren’t many things big enough to eat something that small.”
7. White Sharks live long
Previously, scientists believed white sharks could survive for up to 50 years. Kessel states that more recent estimates place their life expectancy between 80-100 years.
8. White Sharks are Late Bloomers
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Their long lifespans mean that white sharks have ample time to grow up. Kessel states that they can reach a size of more than 20 feet and can take years to achieve their maximum.
A 30-year-old shark washed ashore on the Florida coast in 2024. The shark, which was 15 feet in length, was not reproductively mature. However, if she had lived, it may have reached that stage within the next few years.
9. Sharks are constantly growing teeth
Sharks always grow new teeth.
Kessel explains that “when one is lost, another one will take its place.” They do this because their bite is not as powerful as one would expect. The sharpness of their bite is what they rely on, not the strength.
10. The White Shark is found worldwide
Certain shark species can only be found in specific waters. White sharks, however, have been spotted all over the globe. Kessel: “From the tropics to cooler waters, there are white sharks as far away as Scotland.”
Click here to read more: Great White Sharks band together to prey on whales (19459012).
The article sources are:
Discovermagazine.com’s writers use high-quality peer-reviewed research and other quality sources to write their articles. Our editors also review them for accuracy, scientific standards and editorial standards. Check out the following sources for this article.
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NOAA. White Sharks
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The Shark Lab.
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Nature. NOAA. Overview of Hominin Evolution. The Necropsy Provides a Rare Chance to Study White Shark Biology (19659033) Emilie Luchesi is a journalist who has worked for several of America’s biggest newspapers including The New York Times and Chicago Tribune. She has a Bachelor’s in Journalism from University of Missouri, and a MA from DePaul University. Her Ph.D. is in Communication from University of Illinois Chicago, with a focus on message construction, media framing and stigma communication. Emilie is the author of three nonfiction works. A Light in the Dark, Surviving more than Ted Bundy is her third book, and will be released on October 3, 2023 by Chicago Review Press. It was co-authored by survivor Kathy Kleiner Rubin.
