NightSchool: Sharks Jaws & Maws

Get a better understanding of shark physiology and peer into some jaws and maws. During this evening highlighting the diversity of sharks, we’re embarking into the wonderful world of filter-feeders, finding out what fossilized shark teeth can tell us about ancient oceans, and getting an up-close look at specimens from the Academy’s scientific collections.

We’re also celebrating the Academy’s new exhibit, Sharks, opening on May 28.

• Join Dave Catania, Sr. Collection Manager of Ichthyology, for a fascinating glimpse into the Academy’s scientific collections. He’ll show off some of his favorite shark specimens, showcasing the class’s wide range in size, feeding habits, dentition, reproductive strategies, and hydrodynamics.
   
• Ancient shark teeth contain clues to ecology and oceanography when you study their shape and chemistry. Dr. Sora Kim, Assistant Professor at UC Merced, focuses on shark teeth from the Eocene (about 50–35 million years ago), a period of increased carbon dioxide concentrations and global warming and a time when sharks roamed Arctic and Antarctic waters.
   
• Some sharks don’t have exactly what you’d call teeth. They’re filter-feeders, and Dr. Misty Paig-Tran studies the mechanics of how large elasmobranchs, a group that includes sharks and rays, filter-feed so well. She’ll talk about why filter-feeding sharks are so cool, and how their sophisticated filtration systems can affect our lives.

All NightLife virtual programming is intended for audiences 21+.

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PAST VIRTUAL NIGHTLIFE EVENTS

Missed the party? Just want to relive the magic? Watch the recorded livestreams on YouTube!