Shark Super Powers

WIDE ANGLE: Shark Super Powers

Sharks have ESP. Really. They have extra senses that make us seem deaf, dumb and blind by comparison (at least in the water).

Headstrong

They aren't known for their brains, but scientists are discovering that sharks are more capable and sophisticated than we ever suspected.
Photo credit: AnnaMargittai, Flickr

Got Something To Say?

Speak up here:

Earth Pub Blog: Leave a comment
Earth Message Board: Discuss this article
Discovery Earth on Facebook: Connect with others
Twitter: Send Larry a Tweet

Slide Show: Anatomy of an Ocean 'Psychic'
Here's the lowdown on how sharks do it. They have some very specialized organs that give them amazing abilities. This is the stuff they didn't teach you in high-school biology.

Slide Show: Top 10 Threatened Sharks
They run the gamut from apex predators to plankton eaters. They are all in big trouble if we don't do something RIGHT NOW!

Blog: Shark Bites Woman, Woman Bites Shark Hunters
Special Shark Week guest posts from shark attack victim and shark conservation advocate Debbie Salamone. She has every reason to hate sharks, but loves them instead. This is the first of her posts. Check out the rest also on the Earth Pub blog.

IM Interview: A Shark's View of Earth
Shark sensory perception researcher Jelle Atema chats with Larry O'Hanlon about the surprising ways sharks use their common and uncommon senses to sense the world -- and us. Despite their ancient lineages, sharks are far better than the best human technology when it comes to detecting what's around them.

Puzzle: Shark Common Sense
One thing sharks can't sense is their own demise at the hands of humans. Here are some visual odes to both the beauty and threats to sharks worldwide.

Discovery Channel: Visit Shark Week 2009!

HowStuffWorks.com: The Great Shark Attack Quiz

HowStuffWorks.com: Why do people collect shark teeth?

Get some shark sense at Discovery Earth's global blog: Earth Pub.

Other Wide Angles

Discovery Space: Sharks in Space?
For Discovery Space's celebration of Discovery Channel's Shark Week, we've compiled some lesser-known facts about the connection between sharks and space ...

Discovery Tech: Shark Tech
Shark technology abounds. It's used to study sharks -- from satellite tracking to DNA analysis -- and loads of technologies are shark-inspired. Pull up a beach chair and read what we have in store for you with this Wide Angle series: Shark Technology.

Watch Shark Videos!

Watch videos about shark attack survivors, shark history and more!

our sites

video

Discovery Channel Video

mobile

shop

stay connected

corporate