Sharks

Did you know?

There is good reason the great white shark stands out in our collective consciousness. No, it is not because they are warm-blooded while most of the other 450 shark species are cold-blooded. For there is nothing warm about them.

As portrayed in the 1975 Spielberg thriller Jaws, these giant predators can measure over 22 feet long, weigh close to 7,000 pounds, and have 300 3–6 inch razor sharp teeth arranged in five rows. They can detect blood 3 miles away while their own blood is highly toxic to most animals. And when they hunt, their camouflaged and torpedo-shaped bodies allow them to stealthily attack prey at 35 miles per hour.

While it is true they much prefer feasting on fellow ocean dwellers, they are nevertheless responsible for the greatest number of unprovoked fatal shark attacks on humans. Great whites have indeed earned their reputation as Earth's ultimate killing machine.