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IN THE COLD waters of the Arctic, a denizen of the deep lurked for centuries. Now scientists calculate that this female Greenland shark was the Earth’s oldest living animal with a backbone.
They estimated that the grey shark, part of the species named after Greenland, was born in the icy waters roughly 400 years ago, and died only recently. That conclusion puts the entire species at the top of the longevity list.
Using a novel dating technique, an international team of biologists and physicists estimated the age of 28 dead female Greenland sharks based on tissue in their eyes. Eight of the sharks were probably 200 years or older and two likely date back more than three centuries, according to a study published yesterday in the journal Science.
Until now, that record holder was a bowhead whale that hit 211 years old, according to study lead author Julius Nielsen and AnAge, an animal longevity database.
The oldest of the Greenland sharks examined was nearly 16.5 feet long (5 metres) and estimated to be 392 years old when it was caught around four years ago. But that calculation comes with a huge margin of error – plus or minus 120 years – due to the newness of the dating technique, said Nielsen, a marine biologist at the University of Copenhagen.
That means the shark was probably born sometime between 1500 and 1740 with the most likely birth year 1620.
“It’s an estimate. It’s not a determination,” Nielsen said.
It is the best we can do.
Even at the lowest end of the margin error, the shark would have been 272 years old when it died, and still would be the longest-living animal with a backbone, Nielsen said. Other experts agreed.
Convincing study
Joao Pedro Magalhaes, a University of Liverpool ageing researcher, said because the study is based on an indirect measurement he wouldn’t necessarily concentrate on exact numbers, especially when they exceed 400 years, where the upper end of the margin of error goes.
“But the study is convincing enough for us to say that these animals live way longer than human beings and possibly longer than any other vertebrate,” said Magalhaes, who runs the longevity database and wasn’t part of Nielsen’s team.
Some animals without backbones live longer. An ocean quahog, a clam, lived 507 years and two different types of sponges are said to survive for 15,000 and 1,500 years.
While not surprised that Greenland sharks live a long time, “I’m really shocked by the magnitude of that longevity,” wrote Christopher Lowe, director of the shark lab at California State University Long Beach.
He wasn’t part of the study, but praised it as creative and compelling.
Greenland sharks love cold water – preferring temperatures near freezing – and are all over the Arctic. The cold water and the slow metabolism that comes with it might have something to do with their long lives, Nielsen said.
Lowe, in an email, said “the rule of thumb is deep and cold = old when it comes to fishes”.
I don’t know why they get as old, but I hope someone will find out.
For the age estimates, he uses a complex and indirect system that combines chemical tracking, mathematical modeling and growth measurements.
He focusses on the shark eye lens. Those form while the shark is still developing inside the mother’s uterus and measures of carbon in them won’t change after birth, so it gives a good, rough sense of when the shark was born.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shark expert Allen Andrews said the dating method “is novel and is likely robust” but he said there are still a number of uncertainties.
Lunatic is derived from Latin and means effected by the moon or moonstruck
When I saw the headline all I could think of was the Irish government, I took this line from the article above, so it really does apply to Leinster House.
“will have particular relevance for people with intellectual disabilities, older people with diminished capacity or dementia”
Working in a pub for ten years you always knew when there’s a full moon when the same people start acting up.. It does exist.
Totally agree. The school principal where I was at boarding school became completely unhinged around full moons. I still remember how nuts he was, 40-plus years later.
Midwives say the same thing, the delivery ward goes crazy on a full moon.
With the growth of SF I think we might be better keeping the lunacy laws in place
So you’re advocating keeping the status quo Tom Kenny?
Yeh I think you’re right… Let’s keep it, just for you
I’m advocating a smile Jon
I wonder in another 144 years will intellectual disability be a taboo word.
It may well be. Who are we to label anyway.
Yes. There are already people offended by it. I’ve gotten pulled up for referring to my son an autistic and intellectually disabled. Some want differently abled or person with Autism, as if it’s something that can be detatched and left at home when necessary. It shouldn’t define them, they say. For people like my son it does. It defines every action, every choice, every moment of every day. I am not prepared to pretend otherwise because someone may find that upsetting.
They are just words, and labels to distinguish.
Political correctness, a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. A name is a name, the reality still exists that the name describes.
Ridiculous really
Tell that to my intellectually disabled big brother, who at 48 still comes home in tears sometimes because of the latest non-politically-correct label that liberated kids and adults feel feel to yell at him. Political correctness has its uses.
He’s your son. Call him whatever you feel comfortable with. How dare anyone tell you otherwise.
This is just rearranging the deckchairs with more “acceptable” words.
.
“Intellectual disability” equates to old fashioned “stupid”.
Words like “Lunatic” and “madman” and “psychopath” etc. etc.are nowadays called “Paranoid Delusional” or “Severe Dementia” or other medical sounding words.
.
Those phenomena still exist.
Only the words have changed.
So will people with intellectual disabilities finally be legally able to own property now? I think there is still work to be done in this area but this us a start. This country is still a place where elderly parents are afraid of their disabled adult children surviving them.
It is legal today but they must have capacity. When this law commences they can be supported to enter into any contract. (Except marriage)
I used to be a lunatic but I’m all right nowoooooooo, wuf wuf.
So that’s one 144 year old piece of out dated law that was on the books, is there more?
One wonders if the elected “Adults” could stop acting like spoiled children screaming abuse across the Dáil at each other and actually do the job they’re paid to do and enact good modern Legislation that would bring this country into the 21st century.
So Enda Kenny is safe now.
It kind of looks like the old woman in that pic is about to explode some dynamite….lunatic…
I didn’t think FG and Lab were around since 1871.
Will you still have to go to high court to get the joint decision court order This is a very expensive process involving several barristers
Nope… One barrister, fee would be about 150 to move the wardship application.
No. A new body called the Decision Support Service attached to the Mental Health Commission take the bulk of the applications, some will go to circuit court & some very limited to High Court.
There will be legal did. Check out http://www.inclusionireland.ie/
No. Queen Victoria was though & this law dates from then. Successive governments failed to act before now
Lunatic..always loved that word.
Can someone who was a ward of court now marry?
Once they are discharged from Wardship they can. The Marriage of Lunatics Act 1811 is also repealed
Euthanasia is on its way???
What are you talking about?
This has nothing to do with Euthanasia & will actually give people MORE say about end of life care
Actually Sarah I was thinking about euthanasia as well. If someone lays down a request that should they be existing under such circumstances that they would prefer to be euthanised, and the authorities open their declaration to see how they wished to be treated what happens? If it is an end of life care issue and they chose that they wanted to have their life ended what happens? This doesn’t lead to euthanasia but it puts the law in a very odd situation.
Anyone can put in place an enduring power of attorney to specify how they wish to be cared for should they lose their capacity to manage their own affairs. Wardship arises when a person loses capacity, and a third party initiates the process. The person’s interests are carefully protected by the detail of the process, to prevent abuse.
What you can’t do by any process is specify something that is illegal under Irish law, as euthanasia is at present.
EPA’s aren’t used for healthcare decisions. New law allows for Advance Healthcare Decisions where I decide today what care I want in the future
Yes they are, if worded accordingly. Section 6 of the 1996 act, personal care decisions. The donor of the power can specify any power they wish. It’s the correct process for a person with an illness where the prognosis is poor as far as capacity goes. I’ve worked on several of them.
That was a joke really, but 16 didn’t get that…
Because there was a protester outside Leinster House saying just that.
You can’t put in anything that is against the law, i.e. You cannot precipitate death but you could withhold nutrition / hydration etc in an advance directive. As any individual could if they were competent at the time.
have your say