Good at math and jazz lovers: 8 extraordinary traits you probably didn't know about sharks

Sharks, often perceived solely as fearsome predators, possess a remarkable array of surprising traits that reveal a deeper connection to humans and an extraordinary evolutionary resilience. As some of the oldest vertebrate predators on Earth, sharks or their ancestors have navigated five major mass extinction events, including the devastating Permian-Triassic extinction which wiped out 90% of marine life.

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They, or their closest ancestors, survived Earth's five great mass extinctions, including the largest and most devastating: the Permian-Triassic extinction, also known as the 'Great Dying'.

Their long history has led to the development of astonishing abilities. In one experiment, young grey bamboo sharks demonstrated the capacity to remember information about shapes and optical illusions for nearly a year. They can also perform basic mathematical calculations, distinguishing between quantities like three and five, or four and seven, though they struggle with closer numerical distinctions.

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young grey bamboo sharks remembered information about shapes and optical illusions for almost a year.

Intriguingly, certain shark species show a preference for specific music genres. Researchers found that Port Jackson sharks in Australia would swim to a designated spot for a food reward when jazz music played, but did not form the same association with classical music. This suggests a level of auditory processing and learned behavior previously underestimated in these animals.

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sharks preferred to be in the place where they were fed when jazz music played, but were not able to establish the same association with classical music.

Furthermore, the biological parallels between sharks and humans extend to reproduction. While some sharks lay eggs, many species, including bull and hammerhead sharks, give birth to live young that develop in utero and are nourished via an umbilical cord. Consequently, these pups are born with a navel, a scar from the umbilical cord that heals over time, much like in human infants. Other species develop within eggs that hatch internally before birth.

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Although they are usually considered solitary animals, great white sharks can, in fact, have best friends.