Greenland sharks may be the longest-lived vertebrates known, but “400 years” is an estimate—not a birthday recorded for an individual animal. In a 2016 Science study, researchers used radiocarbon dating of eye-lens nuclei from 28 female sharks. The largest, measuring 502 centimeters, was estimated to be 392 ± 120 years old. The study inferred a lifespan of at least 272 years and estimated sexual maturity at 156 ± 22 years.
How long do Greenland sharks live?
The best-supported answer is that Greenland sharks can live for several centuries. The headline figure comes from a statistical age estimate, not from observing one shark through 400 years of life. For the largest shark in the 2016 sample, the estimate was 392 years with an uncertainty of ±120 years. That range is why “about 400 years” is more accurate than claiming a precise maximum.
The same study concluded that the species’ lifespan is at least 272 years. It also estimated that females do not reach sexual maturity until roughly 156 ± 22 years. Such a slow life history means that population recovery can be exceptionally difficult after fishing losses.
How did scientists estimate the sharks’ ages?
Radiocarbon in the eye lens
Researchers analyzed the nuclei at the center of each shark’s eye lens. These cells retain proteins formed around the time of birth and do not continually renew in the way many other tissues do. Radiocarbon levels in those proteins provide a time marker that can be matched to known changes in atmospheric carbon.
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The method therefore estimates when the lens tissue formed and converts that result into an approximate age. It is fundamentally different from following a tagged shark for decades, and every estimate carries an uncertainty interval.
What the sample can—and cannot—show
- The landmark sample contained 28 female Greenland sharks.
- The largest animal measured 502 cm, or just over 5 meters—not a documented 6-meter individual in that study.
- The results establish extraordinary longevity for the sampled population, but they do not provide a precise, universal maximum age for every Greenland shark.
What might explain such longevity?
New work has made the question more testable without solving it. A 2026 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study produced a 5.9-gigabase Greenland shark genome assembly, with an N50 of 233 megabases and 96.7% estimated completeness. The authors wrote that “This genomic resource provides a foundation for evolutionary studies of cartilaginous fish and advances our understanding of longevity and aging.”
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That statement describes a research resource, not a proven anti-aging treatment. Comparative genomic analysis identified candidate features that now require experimental testing:
DNA maintenance and cancer resistance
The genome contains patterns consistent with strong DNA-repair capacity and defenses against cancer. Long-lived animals need to limit mutations over many cell divisions, but the presence of candidate genes or pathways does not demonstrate how they work in living sharks or whether they cause long life.
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Histone H1.0 and chromatin stability
Researchers highlighted unusual amino-acid substitutions in linker histone H1.0, a protein involved in packaging DNA. The substitutions may influence chromatin stability and gene regulation. This remains a hypothesis until cell and animal experiments show a direct effect.
Possible ferroptosis link
The study also proposed a connection with ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death associated with membrane damage and oxidative chemistry. Whether this pathway contributes to Greenland shark longevity is unknown; the genomic result is a lead for future work, not a demonstrated mechanism.
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Do Greenland sharks avoid normal aging?
No. A separate 2026 study of Greenland shark hearts found fibrosis, lipofuscin accumulation, damaged mitochondria and markers of oxidative stress—familiar signs of tissue aging. The sharks appeared healthy when captured despite those microscopic changes.
The more defensible interpretation is resilience: Greenland sharks may tolerate or manage age-related damage unusually well while remaining functional. That is different from being “immortal” or not aging. The heart findings also show why a long lifespan cannot be inferred from outward appearance alone.
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How does the deep sea matter?
Greenland sharks live in cold, dim waters, conditions that may affect metabolism and the pace of biological processes. Cold temperature alone, however, has not been shown to explain their lifespan.
A 2026 visual-system study found that genes supporting dim-light vision remain intact and expressed, while many genes associated with bright-light cone vision are pseudogenized or not expressed. Those findings help explain adaptation to the deep sea, but they are not evidence that darkness or low temperature by itself creates exceptional longevity.
What researchers can learn—and what they cannot claim yet
| Evidence | What it shows | What it does not show |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 radiocarbon dating of eye-lens nuclei | An estimated 392 ± 120 years for the largest 502-cm female; lifespan of at least 272 years | A precise maximum age or a directly observed 400-year-old shark |
| 2026 genome assembly and comparative analysis | A high-quality genomic resource and candidate pathways involving DNA repair, chromatin and ferroptosis | A causal anti-aging mechanism or a human therapy |
| 2026 heart-tissue study | Age-related cellular damage in apparently healthy sharks | Freedom from aging or proof that the damage is harmless |
| 2026 visual-system study | Genetic adaptation to dim-light conditions | Proof that cold or darkness explains the full lifespan |
Why the conservation context matters
Extreme longevity comes with slow replacement. If females may take about 156 years to mature, removing breeding-age animals can affect a population for generations. Canada’s 2025 assessment reports that the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified the Greenland shark as Vulnerable in its 2020 assessment. The age estimates therefore matter not only to aging research but also to fisheries management and precautionary conservation.
Can Greenland sharks help humans live longer?
They can help researchers formulate questions about DNA repair, cancer suppression, protein stability and tolerance of cellular damage. At present, however, no Greenland shark gene, molecule or lifestyle has been shown to extend human lifespan. Turning a comparative observation into a treatment would require identifying a causal mechanism, testing it in cells and animals, and establishing safety in people.
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