Sharks
Scientists Solve a 'Murder Mystery' After a Pregnant, Tagged Shark Got Eaten
It's rare for apex predators to become prey, but researchers suggest they've documented the first known case of a porbeagle shark getting consumed by another animal
Thirteen Sharks Test Positive for Cocaine Off the Coast of Brazil
All of the wild Brazilian sharpnose sharks tested in a new study had the drug in their bodies, but many questions remain about cocaine's effects on aquatic creatures—and the humans who eat them
20 Shark Week Photos That Will Terrify and Delight You This Summer
In a collection pulled from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest, catch a wave with these predators of the sea
Charlotte the 'Pregnant Virgin' Stingray Dies After Diagnosis of Reproductive Disease
The animal drew attention earlier this year for becoming pregnant despite having no male ray in her tank
Preemie Sharks Get by With a Little Help From an Artificial Uterus
Scientists manufactured a womb that could potentially help bolster populations of endangered shark species
When Do Stingrays Strike?
A California researcher and his team simulate stepping on round rays to learn more about their behavior
'Pregnant Virgin' Stingray Won't Give Birth After All—Here's Why
Charlotte, a female round stingray in North Carolina who has gathered a legion of online fans, is no longer pregnant due to a "rare reproductive disease"
Paleontologists Unravel Secrets of 'Enigmatic' 33-Foot Prehistoric Shark After Fossil Discovery
Scientists didn't know much about Ptychodus, an ancient shark genus, because its remains were usually just fragments. Now, complete fossils reveal its body shape and hunting habits
Journey Under the Sea With 15 Amazing Photos of Marine Life
These Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images feature the captivating creatures that live beneath the waves
Single Orca Spotted Killing a Great White Shark for the First Time Ever
In less than two minutes, the marine mammal attacked a juvenile white shark and ripped out its liver in an encounter off the coast of South Africa last year
What Centuries-Old Shark Teeth Reveal About Brazil's Ocean
Researchers examined the remnants of a 13th-century fishing site to get a picture of how the marine ecosystem has changed
See 15 Otherworldly Images From the Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards
A hunting monkey, 'kissing' scorpionfish and playful dolphins feature in just a few of the 130 striking photographs distinguished with honors in the competition
A Female Stingray That Hasn't Had a Mate in Eight Years Is Mysteriously Pregnant. Is a Shark the Father?
Though the round stingray, named Charlotte, shares her aquarium tank with two male sharks, experts say it is impossible for a shark to impregnate a ray
Paleontologists Discover Two New Shark Species From Fossils in Mammoth Cave National Park
The "active predators" prowled the oceans more than 325 million years ago, before the time of Pangea
Fifty Years After ‘Jaws,’ We’ve Learned a Lot About Great Whites
Though sport fishing tournaments and other activities led to population declines in the 1970s and 1980s, more recent science and conservation efforts have helped the sharks rebound
'Extremely Rare' Sighting of Newborn Great White Shark Reported Off California Coast
If confirmed, the discovery could shed light on where the sharks give birth and mate, which has remained mysterious to scientists
Was Megalodon Slimmer Than Previously Thought?
A new study has spurred scientists to debate the shape of prehistory’s biggest shark
Sharks Are Being Killed at Rising Rates Despite Increased Regulations
Global bans on finning have inadvertently opened up shark meat markets, prompting demand for threatened species, a new study reveals
The Ten Best Photography Books of 2023
Our favorite titles this year will make readers feel the power of visual storytelling
Where Did South Africa's Missing Sharks Go?
After a spate of orca attacks spooked the fish, they have now been found
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