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Do sharks have bones?

January 2, 2009 by 6 Comments

No sharks do not have bones.

Sharks do have skeletons, but they’re made of cartilage rather than bone. Cartilage is the flexible stuff in the tip of your nose. A cartilage skeleton has its advantages. It’s light, flexible, and it heals faster than bone. In some spots though, sharks need a little extra strength. Their skulls, jaws, and spine are fortified with calcium salts, making them much thicker and stronger. Can you think of why a shark would need strong jaws, skulls, and spines?

by Jim Wharton
Vice President, Education Division, Director, Center for School and Public Programs, Mote Marine Laboratory

Do you have another great question? Email info@beachchairscientist.com.

Filed Under: Sharks, Skates and Rays Tagged With: , , ,

10 best in the past nine years

May 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Sometimes it’s nice to look at the past and see what’s worked. From the past nine years of posts on Beach Chair Scientist, it seems that one post has been the “most valuable player”. 100 ocean quotes is a surefire “make you stop by BCS for the first time and join the mailing list” kinda post. It’s the Wayne Gretzky, Babe Ruth, or Micheal Jordan in terms of stats. All other posts just fall short. But in the ethos of sportsmanship, here are ten posts that also bring some well deserved worth to this little blog. Which one are you rooting for?

MVPMarineMammals

Filed Under: Animal Homes, Arthropods, Beach, Biodiversity, Cephalopods, Cnidaria, Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Egg Cases, Fish, Gastropods, Invertebrates, Jellyfish or Jellies, Marine Science, Mollusks, Seashells, Vertebrates, Wrack Line

12 bite-sized shark posts (holding the hokey here)

August 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Ok, maybe not so much in the title. Did you know sharks have roamed the earth for 400 million years and have been instrumental in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems?  They’re amazing creatures and in case you’re actually interested in learning about sharks (instead of becoming frightened by them while watching Shark Week), here are 12 of the most popular posts about sharks on BCS from the past five years.

  1. What I know about whale sharks (March 2013)
  2. CITES recognizes marine species (March 2013)
  3. Myth debunked: Delaware Bay not an annual pit stop for all shark species (September 2012)
  4. Sink your teeth into this: 20 facts about shark teeth (August 2012)
  5. 10 fish you don’t see during Shark Week (August 2012)
  6. What is shark finning? (February 2012)
  7. 5 most dangerous shark species (June 2010)
  8. The sixth sense (August 2009)
  9. What do sand sharks eat? (February 2009)
  10. What are the rarest shark species? (February 2009)
  11. Do sharks have bones? (January 2009)
  12. What is the biggest fish in the sea? (November 2008)

Also, feel free to email any questions to info@beachchairscientist.com if you have additional questions!

Filed Under: Conservation, Sharks

Top 5 beachcomber questions answered

August 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Sea urchin

Image via Wikipedia

Take a look at this quarter’s top 5 reasons folks end up on our site. (Due to the amazing power of WordPress I can see what you’re typing into a search that would lead you here!)

1. How do fish give birth?

2. How do flamingos get their color?

3. What is the biggest fish in the sea?

4. What eats sea urchins?

5. Do sharks have bones?

Anytime you have a beachcombing or ocean related question feel free to email us at info@beachchairscientist.com.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Beach, Birds, Echinoderms, Fish Tagged With: , , ,