The Ancients The First Sharks
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Jul 17, 2025 
Join Professor John Long, a leading expert on prehistoric sharks from Flinders University, as he transports listeners back 300 million years to explore the fascinating evolution of sharks. Discover their journey from humble origins to apex predators, including bizarre creatures like the Helicoprion with its unique jaw. Long vividly discusses significant fossil discoveries, evolutionary adaptations, and the interactions between ancient sharks and amphibians, unveiling a captivating story of survival and dominance in Earth's ancient oceans.
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Sharks: Earth's Ancient Predators
- Sharks have existed for over 465 million years, older than dinosaurs and Saturn's rings.
- Their fossil record begins with tiny scales that reveal early evolutionary progress.
Devonian as a Life Revolution
- The Devonian period was a revolution for life, with plants forming forests and vertebrates evolving limbs.
- Sharks expanded in size and complexity alongside these dramatic environmental changes.
Sharks' Cartilage Advantage
- Early sharks developed lightweight, strong globular calcified cartilage skeletons.
- This unique cartilage aided their agility and speed to outsmart armored fish rivals.