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The Greenland shark survives for four centuries in the icy waters of the Arctic and holds a secret in its DNA that modern medicine wants to decipher
While empires were born and disappeared, wars reshaped borders, and humanity invented electricity, one animal continued to swim slowly in the dark waters of the Arctic.
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is the vertebrate with the longest known lifespan according to science.
According to a study published in Nature Communications on January 5, 2026, this predator of the icy seas can live around 400 years.
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The oldest specimen analyzed was approximately 392 years old, with a margin of error of 120 years more or less.
This means that this Greenland shark was born around 1627, at the same time that Galileo Galilei was observing Jupiter and Brazil still belonged to the Portuguese Crown.
A genome twice the size of the human one hides the answer to the extreme longevity of the Greenland shark
Researchers discovered that the genome of this animal is twice the size of the human genome.
Moreover, over 70% of this genetic material is composed of “jumping genes”.
These mobile segments of DNA can alter how genes are expressed and evolve over time.
However, the most impressive data lies in a network of 81 unique genes dedicated to DNA repair.
This genetic structure allows the cells of the Greenland shark to recover from damage with an efficiency that no other known vertebrate possesses.
The modified TP53 gene explains why the Greenland shark almost never develops cancer
One of the most relevant findings of the study involves the TP53 gene, considered the “guardian of the genome” for its role in tumor suppression.
The Greenland shark carries a modified version of this gene.
This modification may explain the low incidence of cancer in the animal, despite its extreme age.
Experts compare this case to that of the elephant, which also has multiple copies of TP53 and reduced rates of neoplasms.
However, the shark goes further: it combines the modified TP53 with the network of 81 unique repair genes.
In this way, its cells can identify and correct mutations before they turn into tumors.
According to researcher Skowronska-Krawczyk, the study leader, “the findings may have implications for human health, paving the way for new approaches to combat age-related vision loss and eradicating eye diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.”
Measuring up to 7 meters and weighing 1.5 tons, the Greenland shark dominates the depths of the Arctic
In addition to its extraordinary longevity, the Greenland shark impresses with its size.
Specimens measure between 2.4 and 4.3 meters, but records indicate individuals of up to 6 to 7 meters.
Its weight can exceed 1.5 tons, making it one of the largest predators in the oceans.
Still, this giant moves with extreme slowness through the dark, cold waters.
Therefore, its diet relies more on carcasses, including remains of polar bears, than on active hunting.
- Length: 2.4 to 7 meters
- Weight: up to 1.5 tons
- Longevity: average of 400 years (range 250-500)
- Reproductive age: approximately 150 years
- Genome: double that of humans, with 81 unique repair genes
The species was scientifically described for the first time in 1801 by Bloch and Schneider.
Since then, researchers have been trying to understand how this animal survives for so long in such extreme conditions.
Contradicting decades of belief, the Greenland shark can see even after centuries of life
For many years, scientists believed that the Greenland shark was practically blind.
Parasites commonly found in the eyes reinforced this hypothesis.
However, the 2026 study debunked this belief by demonstrating that the animal’s retina remains functional even after more than 100 years.
The research identified the presence of active rhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein, in the eyes of centenarian specimens.
The samples came from sharks captured between 2020 and 2024 at the Arctic Station of the University of Copenhagen, located on Disko Island in Greenland.
Just like other recent discoveries about the internal structure of the Earth that challenges science, the Greenland shark reveals that nature holds secrets much more complex than science imagined.
From Greenland to hospitals: how the shark can help fight cancer in humans
The scientific interest goes far beyond zoological curiosity.
Understanding how the Greenland shark keeps its cells healthy for four centuries could open doors to new therapies against cancer and degenerative diseases.
The modified version of the TP53 gene, combined with the cellular repair network, offers a natural model of tumor resistance.
If scientists can replicate or adapt these mechanisms, the impact on oncology would be transformative.
In addition to cancer, the research could also benefit the treatment of age-related eye diseases.
Macular degeneration and glaucoma affect millions of people worldwide.
Therefore, the functional retina of the centenarian shark offers clues on how to slow down or prevent these conditions.
Other recent discoveries, such as the ancient rock formations found beneath the Appalachians, show that science continues to reveal secrets of beings and structures that withstand time in unimaginable ways.
What still needs to be confirmed about the longevity of the Greenland shark
Despite the promising results, the study presents important limitations.
The margin of error in age estimates is 120 years more or less.
Therefore, the oldest shark may be between 272 and 512 years old, making the 400-year mark a maximum projection.
The analyses were based on recent captures, conducted between 2020 and 2024, without complete longitudinal data.
The network of 81 unique repair genes remains an evolutionary hypothesis, not a proven cause of longevity.
Still, researchers warn that the jumping genes, which make up 70% of the genome, could cause genetic instability.
The fact that the animal neutralizes this risk efficiently makes the case even more intriguing for science.
In 2022, an atypical record of a Greenland shark in Belize, 7,000 kilometers from the Arctic, also surprised experts.
However, this occurrence is considered an exception, not a change in the species’ distribution pattern.
Superinteressante detailed the discovery about vision, while National Geographic Brasil contextualized the animal’s longevity among vertebrates.
CNN Brasil also highlighted the implications of the study for human medicine.
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