It’s the one you’ve all been waiting for…we’re going back in time to meet the largest shark to have ever existed: Otodus megalodon. Growing up to twenty metres long, with teeth as large as a human hand and jaws that could fit you and a friend (with some room to spare), this apex superpredator continues to capture our attention, despite having been extinct for at least 2.6 million years. But what is the truth behind this gigantic fish? Were they just a beefed-up white shark, or did they look completely different? How did they sustain themselves? Why did this apex superpredator cease to exist, and what did that mean for the prehistoric marine ecosystem? We talk about all of this and so much more with Dr Jack Cooper, paleobiologist and expert in prehistoric sharks!

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Follow Jack on X/Twitter (@cooperpaleo) and check out his most recent publications here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=C2zxEm4AAAAJ&hl=en. You can also find out more about the Pimiento Research Group here: https://www.catalinapimiento.com/

You can find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation on Instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and X/Twitter (@SaveOurSeas).

Sharks and rays are found all over the world; from the freezing waters of the Arctic to the tropical Indo-Pacific, and just about everywhere else in between. This means that shark conservation is a global effort, spanning multiple countries, cultures, customs and languages. But did you know that 98% of scientific research is published exclusively in English? In this episode of the World of Sharks podcast, we discuss how linguistic bias can limit shark conservation and the value of publishing and communicating shark science in multiple languages. We are joined by Jaime Penadés-Suay, founder and president of Associacó LAMNA, and Hettie Brown, conservation officer for The Shark Trust. Jaime and Hettie recently collaborated to organise the first 'Wikimaratón de Tiburones y Rayas' (Sharks and Rays Wikimarathon), an event that motivated people from around the world to expand and improve information about elasmobranchs on the digital encyclopedia, publishing over 100 articles in Spanish!

You can read more about Wikimaratón de Tiburones y Rayas here: https://wikimedia.es/mas-de-100-articulos-sobre-tiburones-y-rayas-enriquecen-la-wikipedia-en-espanol/ and here: https://www.sharktrust.org/tiburones-y-rayas

You can also follow the project on Instagram: @rayas_y_tiburones

You can also follow Jaime (@jaimepenades) and LAMNA (@lamnaassociacio) on instagram. You can find Hettie on X/twitter (@hettiemermaid) and The Shark Trust on both instagram (@thesharktrust) and X/twitter (@sharktrustuk)

You can find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation by heading to www.saveourseas.com or by following us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and X/twitter (@SaveOurSeas).

Did you know that some sharks can keep parts of their body warm to allow them to move faster, swim for longer, see more clearly and think better?? Or, that basking sharks have a gigantic heart?! This week we are diving into the fascinating world of shark physiology and anatomy to learn about a special trait only found in a handful of species: regional endothermy. To take us on this journey of discovery we are joined by Dr Haley Dolton, marine biologist specialising in the physiology and ecology of large, regionally endothermic fishes!

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can follow Haley on X/Twitter (@haleydolton) or head to her website, www.haleydolton.com

You can find out more about us by heading to www.saveourseas.com, or following us on social media. We are @saveourseasfoundation on Instagram and TikTok, and @SaveOurSeas on X/Twitter.