This shark could live for 400 years

Scientists just discovered the oldest known vertebrate — and it could be nearly 400 years old. A recent study of Greenland sharks published in the journal Science revealed two of the 28 sharks examined to be 335 and 392 years old, respectively. These sharks' ages are nearly double that of the bowhead whale previously estimated to be the oldest vertebrate, at 211 years old.

Not much is known about the new record holders dwelling in the North Atlantic Ocean. Researchers estimate Greenland sharks, which can be as long as five meters, grow a mere centimeter annually. It isn't until age 150 that the sharks reach sexual maturity.

Though age estimates can't be proven definitively, researchers are "95 percent sure that the oldest shark was between 272 and 512 years old," Buzzfeed News reported. "We're fully aware that it's a big uncertainty, but even the lowest estimate would make it the longest-lived vertebrate animal," the study's lead author, Julius Nielsen, told BuzzFeed.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Still, the Greenland shark doesn't hold the record for the oldest animal ever. That title belongs to Ming, a 507-year-old clam.