David Shiffman On Jaws, Sharknados, Megalodon-Mania And Shark Week Vs. Sharks
Shark Myths & Mysteries on the latest Skaana podcast
“A shark swimming close to the beach is not news. That’s where they’re supposed to be.” - David Shiffman
Pretty much the first thing I learned about sharks when I started writing my book Sharks Forever… almost everything we “know” about sharks is wrong - especially if you think you learned anything when you checked out all the dudes named Mike trying to make sharks look scary on Sharkweek.
It is riskier to swim with another human than with a shark. Humans aren’t just more likely to drown you—they’re more likely to bite you. Heck, you’re almost as likely to be attacked by a Sharknado - and Sharknados don’t exist.
On the latest episode of Skaana author & scientist David Shiffman (Why Sharks Matter) takes on shark myths (aka Shark Week), the megalodon conspiracy and the endless impact of Jaws and Sharknados.
Our conversation about why Shark Week bites… big fun. Thanks, as always, for your support and I really hope you enjoy a deep dive into our perfectly safe shark-infested episode.
Also… I’m now on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/leirenyoung.bsky.social
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And the latest from my non-Skaana Substack:
And in other ocean news…
Threats to sharks
Humans now kill 80 million sharks per year, 25 million of which are threatened species
And this is what orca-watching is like outside of BC & Washington
Wanna get up close with a killer whale in the wild? We did and it was a rare experience
And this’d be an actual threat to orcas
Cause of Death Determined for 11 Killer Whales Incidentally Caught in Fishing Gear in Alaska in 2023
The humpback comeback
Humpbacks Rebound in 20th-Century Whaling Hotspot
Toxic orcas & Ocean science
B.C. killer whales poisoned with wildfire and fossil fuel toxins, study finds
First Nations are using artificial intelligence to help save salmon
Killer diets: orcas off Canada’s East Coast threatened by ‘forever chemicals’ in their food
Whale poop in West Van lab sheds light on orcas at risk of extinction
New deep-sea droids probe the northeast Pacific for clues to climate-change impact | CBC News
West Coast toxic hot spots threaten endangered salmon and killer whales
Harmful toxins from oil spills, wildfire smoke found in B.C. orcas: study | CBC News
Ocean noise strategy delayed, but B.C. whale report by military may sound out path forward
And more on the dangers of deep sea mining
How Much Further Can Mining Go?