The Arctic Shark That Outlives Empires: An Ancient Predator's Secret

These mysterious apex predators inhabit the frigid, deep waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic. Their incredible longevity, estimated to reach up to 500 years, is attributed to their incredibly slow metabolism and growth rate, often less than a centimeter per year. Scientists discovered their age by radiocarbon dating the tissue in the center of their eye lenses, which are metabolically inactive and accumulate growth layers. This adaptation allows them to thrive in an extreme environment, outliving countless human generations.