Sharks have the ability to sense electricity—and every animal uses tiny amounts of electricity to move their muscles. Sharks aren’t the only animal that can sense electricity, but they are probably the best, and this helps them find prey hiding buried under the sand.

The smallest shark in the world is the Dwarf Lanternshark, which grows to only about the length of a rat. You could hold it in your hand! Of course, we at Tappity HQ don’t RECOMMEND holding sharks in your hand. We’re just saying you could, is all.

The whale shark isn’t just the largest shark—it’s the largest fish in the whole world! They can grow to be longer than a school bus (though it remains unclear how many students it could transport). Even though they’re sharks, these gentle giants are actually filter feeders—instead of tearing apart large prey, they just eat tiny plankton floating in the water.

Sharks have been around for at least 455 million years—longer than trees! For reference, the earliest human-like creatures appeared just over 6 million years ago. So as far as sharks are concerned, humans are practically brand-new. And sharks have survived 4 global extinction events, so they may be around long after we’re gone, too!

The Megalodon was the biggest shark ever. It lived 18 million years ago and was 3 times the size of a great white shark. A single tooth was as long as a pencil, and it would have eaten prey as large as humpback whales. It had the strongest bite of any animal that ever lived - 3 times stronger than the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The shortfin mako shark is the fastest shark in the world, with top speeds over 34 mph (56 km/hr). It can be found all over the world, and grow to about 13 feet in length.

Most sharks never attack humans. In fact, humans aren’t included in the diet of any shark! Experts believe that shark attacks on humans are usually because the shark has mistaken someone for something they do eat, like a seal or a fish. When they do attack, they almost never actually eat any part of the human. In reality, most of the time sharks encounter humans, they mostly ignore them.

It depends on the type of shark. On average, sharks in the wild live for 20-30 years. Scientists, however, have discovered, some sharks like the Greenland shark, can live at least 250 years!

Contrary to popular belief, at least one species of shark, the draughtsboard shark, definitely sleeps, as researchers in Australia recently discovered - though it sometimes keeps its eyes open while it's asleep.

Unlike whales or dolphins, sharks don’t have any organs capable of making sounds. They’re mute!