Over 100 Atmospheres of Pressure Shape the Frilled Shark’s Anatomy

This shark’s entire body is engineered for crushing compression.

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Cartilage is lighter and more flexible than bone, a trait shared by all sharks.

Living at depths around 1,000 meters subjects the frilled shark to pressures exceeding 100 atmospheres. Its cartilaginous skeleton and absence of gas-filled organs prevent collapse under sustained compression.

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Rigid, air-filled structures would implode under such force. Instead, flexibility becomes a structural advantage, allowing tissues to compress without catastrophic failure.

The adaptation highlights a counterintuitive principle: in extreme environments, softness can outperform hardness. The deep sea rewards compliance over resistance.

Source

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

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