How nuclear bombs tell us how old whale sharks are #whaleshark #marinebiology #sciencefacts
Nuclear bombs can help determine the age of whale sharks through a process called radiocarbon dating. During the 1950s and 1960s, above-ground nuclear bomb testing released a significant amount of carbon-14 (^14C) into the atmosphere. This radioactive carbon is absorbed by organisms, including whale sharks, through the food chain.
Whale sharks have layers of tissue growth rings in their vertebrae, similar to tree rings. Analyzing the carbon-14 levels in these growth rings allows scientists to estimate the age of the shark. By measuring the amount of residual carbon-14 from the nuclear bomb era in the shark's tissues, researchers can compare it to known atmospheric levels from that time period.
The spike in carbon-14 caused by nuclear bomb testing serves as a marker, enabling scientists to estimate the age of the whale shark by determining how many of these layers contain higher levels of carbon-14. This technique helps in understanding the growth rates and longevity of these magnificent creatures
