Several years ago, a rare specimen washed up on a beach in Cornwall, England: A 100 year-old Greenland Shark. Even at a century old, this shark would still be considered a juvenile. These Arctic-dwelling predators don’t reach full adulthood until 150 years of age. They grow up to 25 feet long and eat anything they can get from fish to seals to moose if given the chance. Female Greenland sharks gestate for between 8 and 18 years before giving birth to live young.
But Greenland sharks are most well known for their long lifespans; the oldest specimen captured was as much as 500 years old, having been born 1504 and 1744. Can you imagine what this centuries-old shark could have seen? How different was the world in 1500 to today? Let’s look at a few things that happened during its lifetime.
Leonardo da Vinci Painted the Mona Lisa
Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci created arguably the most famous painting in the world between 1503 and 1507 in Florence, Italy.
Martin Luther Began the Protestant Reformation
In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, thus starting the Protestant Reformation which would spread across Europe, disrupting the political and religious landscape of the world.
The Kingdom of Benin Began to Shrink
The Kingdom of Benin had its last warrior king, Oba Ehengbuda, in the late 1500s. Within a few decades, Britain began to assert more control in the region. Learn more about this vibrant kingdom in Benin Unboxed.
Creation of the Powhatan Confederacy
By 1600, leader Wahunsenecawh had forged a confederacy of Algonquian-speaking nations in what would become eastern Virginia. Not long after, English explorers founded Jamestown in Powhatan territory. Learn more with Powhatan Unboxed and Jamestown Unboxed.
The Ming Empire in China Falls
After almost 300 years of controlling China, the Ming Empire ended with the Chongzhen Emperor in 1614. Learn more about this important era in Chinese history with Ming Dynasty Unboxed.
The Mali Empire Falls
The Mali Empire in West Africa which had built the fortune of Mansa Musa, the richest man who ever lived, fell in 1670. This wealthy African empire was a vital trading spot for salt, gold, and enslaved people for over 500 years. Learn more about Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire in Mali Unboxed.
Indigenous Australians Make Contact with Europeans
In the late 17th century, British explorers made landfall in Australia. Nearly a century later, Captain James Cook made contact with the Indigenous Guugu Yimithirr people near the Great Barrier Reef. Learn about the rich history–and present–of Indigenous Australians in Ancient Australia Unboxed.
Fall of the Last Maya Kingdom
In 1697, a Spanish conquistador led an assault demolishing the last independent Maya kingdom. The Maya had controlled the Yucatan of Mexico for over 1,450 years. Learn more about the Maya in Ancient Maya Unboxed.
Spanish Missions Founded in California
From 1769 to 1833, Catholic priests from Spain founded a series of missions in order to convert Native Americans and solidify the Spanish claim in North America. Learn more about the Spanish presence in California in Missions Unboxed. For even earlier Spanish presence in the Americas, look at Explorers Unboxed and St. Augustine Unboxed.
U.S. Declares Independence
Of course, the Spanish were not the only ones attempting to hold onto control in North America. Britain lost its colonial stake in what would become the United States with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Learn more U.S. history with our American History Subscription which covers the American Revolution, French and Indian War, westward expansion, the American Civil War, and more.
And all that was just the first 300 years of this amazing shark’s life! How much slower must time feel to this ancient animal!
What part of history would you have liked to witness?