Buzz
Since the release of *Jaws*, people have been terrified of entering the ocean, fearing they’ll end up as a shark's next meal. Both the novel and films depict sharks as evil, bloodthirsty creatures, but that couldn't be farther from the truth.
Sharks hardly pose a threat to humans, and they aren’t cruising around in tornadoes as commonly believed. However, there are plenty of myths about nature’s deadliest creatures, and these ten are among the most widespread.
10. Sharks Are the Ultimate Killing Machines in Nature
Don't be misled by the title; sharks aren't nature’s most efficient predators. That title belongs to the microbes! For as long as they’ve been hitching rides inside animals, they’ve been the true masters of killing.
While it's true that many sharks are skilled hunters, that doesn't make them the deadliest creatures in nature. Sharks are smart and strategic—similar to how a pride of lions carefully plans its hunt.
They bide their time, waiting for the right moment to strike, which explains why you often see sharks calmly gliding around their potential prey. Sharks that hunt typically rely on the element of surprise and will give up the chase if that advantage is compromised.
Naturally, this only applies to certain shark species, and there are more than you might think. Over 500 shark species have been identified, some of which are better hunters than others. Many species, however, aren’t as picky and will try to eat just about anything they encounter.
9. Sharks Are Human Predators
Sharks are intimidating because of their fierce appearance. Combine that with their ability to remain unseen when attacking, and it’s no wonder people panic at the sight of one. Thanks to movies playing on these fears, sharks have earned the terrifying label of 'maneaters.'
Most sharks live their entire lives without encountering a human. Consider the vastness of Earth’s oceans — humans generally only swim near coastlines, leaving sharks with ample space to roam without ever seeing people.
The majority of shark species are opportunistic eaters, primarily consuming small fish and invertebrates. Only about 12 species have been involved in attacks on humans, and these incidents usually occur when the shark mistakes a human for something else.
While a shark bite is undoubtedly serious, even a small bite can cause severe tissue damage, limb injuries, and potentially death if not treated immediately. The gravity of such incidents fuels the 'maneater' myth, but that’s all it is — just a myth.
8. Sharks Sit at the Top of the Food Chain
Many people consider sharks the ultimate predators in nature, but we’ve already debunked that myth. Still, the misconception persists, leading many to believe that sharks are at the top of their respective food chains.
It makes sense when you think about it... what could possibly be a threat to a shark? While humans kill far more sharks than anything else in the ocean, we aren't really a part of their food chain. Despite not having to fear many predators, sharks are hunted in their own environment.
When people think of the most dangerous shark, the Great White often comes to mind. After all, they can reach lengths of up to 23 feet (7 meters) and weigh over 2.5 tons. While they can become prey to even larger Great Whites, the true predator that hunts and eats them is the aptly named Killer Whale.
This behavior was first recorded in 1997 when two Orcas attacked a Great White shark to feast on its liver. Since then, more such attacks have been observed, confirming that there is a predator that even the largest predatory sharks fear.
7. Sharks Are Immune to Cancer
Cancer has been one of humanity’s greatest foes, leading people to search for animals that might offer clues for defeating it. Over the years, this curiosity has taken many forms, and one of the most perplexing beliefs is that sharks are so evolved they are immune to cancer.
This is completely untrue, as malignant tumors have been found in sharks since the late 19th century. The idea likely gained traction because, while sharks can (and do) get cancer, it’s relatively rare compared to other animals. This led to the belief that grinding up shark cartilage and consuming it can prevent or cure cancer — but it doesn’t work.
A major contributor to this myth is the 1992 bestseller *Sharks Don’t Get Cancer: How Shark Cartilage Could Save Your Life*. In the book, I. William Lane and Linda Comac claim that sharks rarely get cancer and advocate for using their cartilage for health benefits.
The book also promoted a product from one of the author’s sons, which undermined its credibility as a legitimate scientific study. Nevertheless, the myth continues to thrive despite the considerable scientific evidence disproving it.
6. Sharks Will Die If They Stop Swimming
For a long time, there has been a belief that sharks must constantly swim to survive, mainly due to how they breathe. Like most fish, sharks use gills to extract oxygen from the water. However, unlike many fish species, sharks have a variety of ways to do this.
Some species rely on ram ventilation, which occurs when they swim rapidly with their mouths open, causing water to flow through their gills. When sharks breathe this way, they typically swim faster than usual and remain in motion.
Other sharks use buccal pumping, a method where they draw water into their mouths and push it over their gills, allowing them to stay completely still. This technique has been observed in Bullhead and Nurse Sharks.
The Tiger shark is known to switch between buccal pumping and ram ventilation depending on their needs. Some species, such as Great Whites and Mako Sharks, have lost the ability to buccal pump. These 'obligate ram ventilators' will indeed stop breathing if they cease swimming, so while the myth doesn’t apply to most shark species, it does to a few.
5. Sharks Can Detect A Single Drop of Blood from Miles Away
You’ve probably heard this claim at some point, leading you to avoid swimming even with the slightest cut. While many sharks are hunters with an exceptional sense of smell and a highly sensitive olfactory system, their ability isn’t quite as supernatural as the myth suggests.
Sharks rely entirely on their nostrils for smell since they don’t breathe through them. Their nostrils are lined with highly sensitive cells that can detect various chemicals, which are then interpreted as scents by the brain. While this gives them an excellent sense of smell, it doesn’t extend for miles in any direction.
Some sharks have been known to detect even very low concentrations of substances from a few hundred meters away, but that’s far from the myth of smelling things from a mile or more. Certain shark species can identify specific compounds at 1 part per billion, which sounds impressive — and it is — but it’s equivalent to detecting a single drop in a standard-sized swimming pool.
While sharks can certainly identify scents in large bodies of water, their ability is much more limited than the myth suggests. This skill isn’t solely used for hunting, though; it also helps sharks detect pheromones released during mating.
4. Sharks Can Swim Backwards
For most fish species, swimming backward is as simple as moving their pectoral fins in the right direction. This ability enables them to quickly retreat from danger, and while most fish can do it, they usually aren’t as adept at swimming backward as they are at moving forward.
While it’s not a challenge for most fish, people often assume that sharks can swim backward. However, sharks are actually among the few fish species that cannot swim in reverse, and this is due to several anatomical factors.
Sharks move forward by swinging their tails, pushing water over their fins, which they use for stability and steering. Unlike most fish, their pectoral fins don’t curve upward, limiting their ability to move in reverse. If a shark does move backward, it typically does so by halting and allowing gravity to take over.
Swimming backward is potentially dangerous for sharks because they need to keep water flowing over their gills to breathe. Moving in reverse can interfere with this process and even lead to suffocation in certain species, making it essential for them to swim forward.
3. Sharks Can “Go Rogue” And Hunt Only Humans
The term ‘rogue shark’ is often used to describe a shark that deviates from its usual prey and begins to hunt humans exclusively. This behavior is, of course, unnatural for all the reasons mentioned earlier.
The idea of ‘rogue sharks’ is often used to explain shark attacks on people, but the notion is completely unfounded. Sharks don’t develop a sudden preference for humans and intentionally hunt them. Usually, when a shark bites a person, it quickly realizes the mistake and swims away.
While it’s rare, a shark may sometimes bite again, but this doesn’t change the fact that rogue sharks are not a real danger. Looking at global shark attack statistics, only 57 unprovoked attacks were recorded in 2020. Of those, 10 were fatal, and 33 occurred in the U.S.
Though the numbers might seem high, the likelihood of being bitten by a shark is exceptionally low. Your chances of being attacked are 1 in 3,748,067. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning, involved in a train accident, or die from fireworks than to be attacked by a shark.
2. All Sharks Are Deadly To Humans
A common misconception is that all sharks are dangerous maneaters that can easily cause serious harm or even death. While a shark bite can often be severe and life-threatening, the idea that every species of shark is capable of attacking humans is simply not true.
Only about a dozen species of sharks have ever been reported to bite humans, and considering that there are around 500 species recognized by science, that’s just about 2.4% of all sharks. This leaves a vast majority of shark species that pose no threat to humans, and the diversity of these creatures is truly remarkable.
Certain sharks, like the Caribbean Reef Shark, can be dangerous to humans if they do attack, but such incidents are extremely rare. Nonetheless, you’d certainly want to avoid being bitten. Nurse sharks, on the other hand, have no interest in humans at all, and while attacks are very uncommon, disturbing them could provoke a bite.
The Whale Shark, which holds the title of the largest shark and the largest fish on the planet, poses no danger to humans. As filter feeders, they have no interest in people whatsoever. If you found yourself inside its mouth, it would likely be as startled as you, and with no teeth to harm you, it would simply spit you out — leaving you with an unforgettable fish tale.
1. Sharks Are Only Found In Saltwater
If you ask most people where sharks live, they’ll likely say the ocean. This is logical, given that most sharks are indeed found in oceans across the globe, but there are a few notable exceptions to this rule.
In Southeast Asia, South Asia, New Guinea, and Australia, you can find six species of River Sharks. These sharks belong to the genus Glyphis and spend their entire lives in freshwater. Sadly, many of these species remain largely unstudied by science.
The severe decline in their populations due to habitat loss has made River Sharks among the rarest sharks on Earth. Due to their dwindling numbers, little is known about their life cycle and population dynamics. Often, they are mistaken for Bull Sharks, another species that thrives in freshwater.
Bull Sharks are known for spending much of their lives in freshwater, but they do return to the ocean for mating. They can travel vast distances, having been discovered up the Mississippi River as far as Alton, Illinois—1,750 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. In 1972, one was even found 2,500 miles up the Amazon River, demonstrating their impressive adaptability to freshwater environments.
