Sharks are some of the most successful, fierce and mysterious predators our world has ever known. With a history spanning around half a billion years, the shark bloodline has produced the mighty megalodon; the bizarre, buzz-saw-jawed Helicoprion; and the fearsome great white shark. So how have they done it?
John Long, a paleontology professor at Flinders University in Australia, has been researching ancient sharks and other fossilized fish for more than 40 years. In his latest book, "The Secret History of Sharks" (Ballantine Books, 2024), Long tells the incredible story of shark evolution. He spoke to Live Science about what he's learned.
