WHAT GREENLAND SHARKS ARE TEACHING US ABOUT LONGEVITY

They move slowly, live deep below the surface, and some of them have been alive since before the Industrial Revolution. However, for as long as they’ve been around, there are still many things we’re still yet to learn about them, and the mysteries continue to unfold. In fact, Greenland sharks are swiftly becoming one of the most fascinating clues in the longevity puzzle—here’s why.

They live for centuries—literally.

Greenland sharks are the longest-living vertebrates on the planet. Scientists have estimated that some individuals are over 400 years old. That means a few of them were swimming around when Shakespeare was still writing plays. Their age isn’t just impressive—it’s baffling in terms of biology.

This extreme lifespan forces researchers to look beyond what we know about ageing. It challenges the idea that wear and tear over time is inevitable. If a massive cold-water shark can survive for centuries without falling apart, maybe longevity isn’t as limited as we thought.

Cold water might be slowing everything down.

Greenland sharks live in icy depths, usually around -1 °C to 4 °C. This chilly environment likely slows their metabolism to a near crawl. Everything in their body—growth, reproduction, movement—happens at a glacial pace, and that might be exactly what’s keeping them alive for so long.

This idea has huge implications for humans. Scientists are exploring whether slowing down metabolic processes could help us age more slowly, too. It’s not about freezing ourselves—it’s about understanding how energy use affects the body over time.

Their cells show minimal damage.

Most animals show cellular wear and tear as they age—oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage. But Greenland sharks don’t seem to follow this pattern. Their cells appear to stay remarkably stable, even after hundreds of years. That resilience has researchers digging into what’s happening at a molecular level. If these sharks can avoid the usual biological breakdowns, their biology could hold clues for slowing or preventing age-related diseases in humans.

Their slow lifestyle matters

Greenland sharks aren’t exactly go-getters. They move at around 1 mph and are mostly blind due to eye parasites. They drift through the cold in a state of near-constant stillness. Weirdly, that might be one of their secrets.

A low-stress, low-activity life could be doing wonders for their longevity. It’s the opposite of our high-stress, fast-paced existence. The shark’s lifestyle suggests that slowing down—literally—might help the body last longer without burning out.

They show us ageing doesn’t always mean decline.

In humans, ageing is often seen as a downhill slope—more aches, slower thinking, fragile health. However, Greenland sharks don’t follow that narrative. They’re slow but steady, showing no major signs of breakdown even after centuries. This changes how we think about ageing altogether. It’s possible to live a long time without constantly deteriorating. That mindset shift is just as important as the science behind it, especially in a world obsessed with youth.

Their reproductive timeline is wild.

Greenland sharks aren’t in a rush to start families. Females might not reach sexual maturity until they’re around 150 years old. That’s almost impossible to wrap your head around, but it reinforces how slow everything is for them. That kind of delay makes scientists wonder if late-life reproduction somehow contributes to their longevity. Maybe their bodies are built to last longer because they need to. It’s a new way of looking at the timing of life stages.

Their immune systems stay strong.

Despite their age, Greenland sharks don’t seem to suffer from rampant disease or immune system collapse like older humans often do. They appear to have immune responses that remain efficient well into their extreme age.

That’s sparked research into whether the sharks produce unique immune cells or proteins that prevent typical age-related decline. If we can understand how they avoid immune system burnout, it could lead to breakthroughs in how we age, fight infections, and stay healthy later in life.

They might teach us how to resist cancer.

Long-lived animals like Greenland sharks often have built-in cancer resistance. The longer a creature lives, the more cell divisions it experiences—and the more chances for mutations. But these sharks seem surprisingly cancer-free, even with their slow metabolisms and centuries-long lives.

Some scientists believe their DNA repair mechanisms might be more efficient or their cells better protected. If we can understand and replicate this in humans, it could change how we prevent and treat cancers in older people.

They show how little we know.

Greenland sharks have been around for centuries, and we’ve only just started to learn their secrets. They remind us that when it comes to longevity and ageing, we’ve barely scratched the surface. Nature has had millions of years to run experiments we’re only now beginning to study.

The mystery of how they live so long forces humility. These sharks make it clear that real answers might not come from tweaking human routines, but from understanding how life adapts in extreme conditions over time.

They highlight the power of patience.

Everything about the Greenland shark is slow—its growth, its movements, its lifespan. And yet, it’s one of the most successful survivors in the ocean. In a world that rewards urgency and speed, this ancient species is thriving by doing the exact opposite.

There’s a quiet lesson in that. Maybe living longer isn’t about squeezing more in—it’s about stretching time out. And maybe the sharks aren’t just scientific anomalies—they’re reminders that endurance sometimes beats intensity.

2025-06-18T07:08:50Z