Do Sharks Make Sounds? 21 Mind-Blowing Facts About This Accidental Discovery

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Do Sharks Make Sounds? 21 Mind-Blowing Facts About This Accidental Discovery

By Chu E. - June 13, 2025

Long considered silent hunters gliding through the deep, sharks have always been thought of as voiceless creatures—until now. During a routine laboratory study, researchers accidentally recorded unexpected underwater sounds coming from these iconic predators. This accidental discovery is turning the scientific world upside down and challenging everything we thought we knew about shark biology and communication.
Get ready to dive into the 21 most mind-blowing facts about this breakthrough, and discover what this could mean for our understanding of the ocean’s most mysterious apex predators.

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1. The Shocking Discovery

Do Sharks Make Sounds? 21 Mind-Blowing Facts About This Accidental Discovery — A team of scientists deploys underwater recording equipment to capture the sounds of sharks in their natural habitat. | Image source: Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels

For the very first time, scientists have recorded sharks producing sounds underwater, upending decades of assumptions. This unexpected moment happened during a routine research session, when acoustic equipment picked up mysterious noises from the sharks’ tank. The revelation has become a global sensation, with experts scrambling to understand its implications for shark communication.
Curious to learn more? Check out the original report from Smithsonian Magazine.

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2. Rig Sharks Break the Silence

It was the rig sharks of New Zealand that first shattered the myth of shark silence. When researchers gently handled these sharks, they emitted a series of distinct clicking sounds—clear enough to be captured on audio equipment. This unexpected behavior instantly made rig sharks the stars of the study.
Discover more details at the New Zealand Herald.

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3. History’s First Shark Sound Recording

This breakthrough represents the first documented instance of sharks producing deliberate underwater noises. The fact that the recording happened by accident only heightens its importance, inviting scientists to rethink shark behavior entirely. This milestone paves the way for fresh research and deeper understanding.
For more information, visit Live Science.

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4. A Complete Accident

This groundbreaking find was entirely accidental, emerging during routine lab work at the University of Auckland. Researchers had no intention of hunting for shark sounds, which makes the discovery even more remarkable. Sometimes, science’s greatest breakthroughs happen when least expected.
Read the full story at BBC News.

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5. The Stealth Assumption

For decades, scientists believed sharks thrived on absolute silence, using their sleek bodies and noiseless movement to outwit prey. The notion of sharks producing any kind of audible sound was considered virtually impossible. This accidental discovery has now upended a core belief about shark behavior.
Learn more about shark hunting at National Geographic.

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6. Soundless Hunters?

Until recently, scientists believed that sound had no part in shark communication or behavior. Unlike vocal whales and dolphins, sharks were thought to rely only on body movements to interact. Now, this surprising evidence is forcing experts to rethink the basics of shark interaction.
Explore more at Scientific American.

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7. The Swim Bladder Myth

For years, scientists assumed sharks were naturally silent because they lack swim bladders—the organ most fish use to generate sounds. This anatomical difference seemed to explain the absence of shark noises. The recent discovery now challenges this fundamental assumption about how sharks are built and how they behave.
Learn more about fish sound production at NOAA Fisheries.

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8. Turning Science Upside Down

This breakthrough is upending decades of scientific wisdom about shark biology. What was once considered impossible is now sparking brand-new questions about how sharks might communicate and interact with their world. Researchers are eager to explore these fresh possibilities.
For more insights on shark science, visit Nature.

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9. The University Lab Breakthrough

The pivotal moment came at the University of Auckland’s Leigh Marine Laboratory, where ten juvenile rig sharks were under study. Researchers were observing other facets of shark behavior when the unexpected sounds emerged. This chance observation at a world-class facility set the stage for a scientific revelation.
Discover more about the lab at University of Auckland Marine Science.

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10. Mysterious Clicking Underwater

While handling the sharks underwater, researchers heard distinct clicking sounds—clear and unmistakable even over the bubbling of the tanks. These mysterious clicks captured immediate attention and spurred further investigation. It was a moment no one in the lab could ignore.
Find additional details at The Guardian.

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11. Universal Sound Among Test Subjects

Remarkably, all ten sharks in the study produced similar audible clicks when handled. This consistency across individuals hints that the behavior may be widespread within the species, rather than a fluke. It raises exciting new questions about animal sound communication.
Explore more about animal sound studies at ScienceDirect.

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12. Repeated Clicks Across Individuals

The clicking wasn’t just a fluke—each shark repeated this sound during multiple handling sessions. This consistent pattern suggests the clicks are intentional, not just accidental noises caused by movement or stress. Scientists are eager to unravel what message these signals might convey.
See related research at PLOS ONE.

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13. Frequent Clicks at First Contact

Researchers observed that clicking sounds peaked during the very first moments of handling each juvenile shark. This pattern hints that the clicks might be an immediate reaction, possibly tied to stress or surprise. Understanding these responses could unlock new insights into shark behavior under pressure.
Read more about shark stress responses at Frontiers in Marine Science.

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14. Sudden Silence

Curiously, the clicking sounds abruptly ceased as the sessions continued. This sudden silence was observed with consistency, leaving scientists to wonder what factors trigger or halt the sound production. The mystery deepens as researchers look for answers about this adaptive response.
Learn more about animal adaptation at Science News.

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15. Possible Distress Calls

Many scientists suspect these clicks might function as distress calls or defensive signals. Other marine animals emit similar sounds when they feel threatened or are physically handled, suggesting sharks could be reacting in much the same way. Understanding this behavior could reveal more about how sharks manage stress.
Learn more about animal distress calls at National Institutes of Health.

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16. Fear and Familiarity

According to lead scientists, sharks may have stopped clicking as they grew accustomed to repeated handling and no longer perceived it as a threat. This suggests a clear learning curve—initial fear triggers the clicks, but familiarity brings calm. Such adaptability showcases the surprising intelligence of these ocean predators.
Explore shark learning at Marine Biology.

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17. No Sound-Making Organs Found

Advanced MicroCT scans showed that rig sharks have no specialized organs or anatomical structures dedicated to sound production. This deepens the mystery of how these clicks are made, suggesting an unknown mechanism at work. Researchers are eager to learn more about this surprising aspect of shark anatomy.
Discover more at Journal of Morphology.

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18. 3D Reconstructions Provide No Clues

Even with advanced 3D imaging, scientists found no special structural adaptations in the sharks’ bodies to explain the clicking sounds. The origin of this noise remains a genuine puzzle, with researchers now searching for subtle or hidden mechanisms.
Learn more about 3D imaging in biology at Cell Press.

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19. The Mechanism Remains Unknown

Despite extensive analysis, the precise method by which sharks create these clicking noises is still unknown. Scientists are now exploring alternative explanations, like delicate movements or friction between cartilage and tissue. The search continues for answers to this intriguing biological riddle.
For further reading, visit Science Magazine.

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20. Challenging Shark Anatomy Textbooks

This discovery defies traditional knowledge about shark anatomy and physiology, suggesting there may be hidden structures or behaviors yet to be uncovered. It paves the way for entirely new fields of research and challenges scientists to rethink what’s possible in shark biology.
Find more on shark physiology at Annual Review of Marine Science.

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21. What This Means for Shark Science

This accidental breakthrough hints that sound may be crucial to shark survival and communication. The clicks could act as rapid distractions, giving young sharks a chance to evade predators or signal distress. This finding is now inspiring a wave of new research into shark behavior, ecology, and inter-species interaction.
Explore more at Nature Communications.

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Conclusion

The accidental discovery of sharks making sounds is reshaping what we know about these incredible predators. As scientists delve deeper into the mystery of the clicks, they’re uncovering new insights into shark communication, stress responses, and anatomy. This revelation could revolutionize shark conservation and research, highlighting just how much we still have to learn about ocean life.
Stay curious and support research that helps protect these fascinating creatures—because the next big breakthrough might be just one surprise away.

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