The longevity of the Greenland shark
Sharks are essentially living fossils, having glided through the Earth’s oceans for over 400 million years already. They have outlasted the dinosaurs and have survived mass extinction events to become one of the most successful and enduring groups of animals on the planet.
Amie Pearce • The evolution of sharks
One of the most recent additions to the shark family tree is the genus Hemiscyllium, known as walking sharks. These sharks are still evolving in western New Guinea, providing a rare glimpse of 'evolution in action' as they use their fins to walk’ along the seabed. It would be the stuff of nightmares if they weren’t so small and harmless. For now, t... See more
Amie Pearce • The evolution of sharks
Fungi can be every bit as long lived as trees. Ancient honey fungus networks have been found underground in North America. The record holder is a fungus belonging to the species Armillaria ostoyae. It is 2,400 years old and has spread to cover 3.5 square miles.