Sea Life Centre keepers were left stunned when more than 12,000 shark teeth were discovered hidden in the gravel sea bed after a tank was drained as part of a refurbishment.
Staff at the Blackpool centre were amazed when researchers filtering through the bottom of the ocean display pulled out thousands of deadly shark fangs - that had built up over nearly 25 years.
Sharks are known to lose one tooth a week on average, but the scale of the find at the aquarium was still surprising to experts.
And scientists now plan to use the teeth as part of a probe into global warming - hoping the teeth will enable them to perfect a scientific technique which records ocean temperatures.
Extra bite: Sea Life Centre keepers were left stunned when they drained an ocean display and discovered more than 12,000 shark teeth hidden in the gravel sea bed
Long in the tooth: The teeth were from sharks who had been at the centre, such as the one pictured, during the last 23 years
Fishy discovery: Rachael Hobbs, 23, supervisor at Blackpool Sea Life Centre, with some of the 12,000 teeth found when an ocean display was drained as part of a refurbishment
Scientists at the University of Birmingham have discovered that oxygen atoms in the discarded teeth can reveal the temperature the sharks lived in, and hope that when the technique is perfected, it can be used to study fossilised shark teeth - and determine the changing temperature of the world's oceans over the centuries.
And with the latest haul of teeth, the researchers now believe they have enough specimens to help them perfect the research.
The Sea Life display had been drained to install new windows as part of a major refurbishment.
The resident sharks have been moved to temporary quarters in London and Garnelenfutter Weymouth.
Blackpool Sea Life senior aquarist Scott Blacker said: 'We always found a few teeth whenever we dived in the tank, but we were all astounded by just how many were lurking in every handful of gravel.
'It's a delicate job sorting them out, because they tend to be the same colour as the gravel and easy to overlook.
'It's great to know that our sharks are helping some really pioneering research.'
Refurbishment: The Sea Life display had been drained to install new windows as part of major works to the tank
Establishing the prevailing sea temperatures can help explain sudden crashes of marine species as well as sudden evolutionary spurts in prehistoric times.
Research leader Dr Ivan Sansom, a senior lecturer in palaeobiology at the university, said: 'The principle has already been used by several research groups.
'By examining the teeth of sharks whose water temperature has been carefully recorded, we can refine the technique to make fossil studies more reliable.'
Dr Sansom's students began their probe a year ago using just the few teeth collected occasionally by Sea Life centre scuba divers.
Now, the emptying of Blackpool Sea Life's ocean display for the first time in 23 years has delivered a windfall that meets all their research needs - and then some.
Dr Sansom said: 'We have teeth from every shark species that lived in the tank, including lots of sand tiger teeth, a species that hasn't featured in the display for more than eight years.
'Most sharks have rows of teeth and shed them regularly.
The biggest number we have are from black-tipped reef sharks, but that's hardly surprising since this species sheds a whole row of more than 40 teeth every month.
'The new specimens we are getting from Blackpool will validate preliminary observations and help refine research with fossil teeth.
'The ultimate aim is to better understand how cooling waters in prehistoric times drove evolutionary change while warming waters led to extinctions.
Research: Dr Ivan Sansom is leading research into the teeth, which they hope will allow them to determine the changing temperature of the world's oceans over the centuries
Sea life centre finds 12,000 SHARKS' TEETH after draining aquarium for first time in 23 years
by Elma Lawler (2025-06-22)
Sea life centre finds 12,000 SHARKS' TEETH after draining aquarium for first time in 23 yearsBy James Rush
Published: 11:43 GMT, 24 January 2013 | Updated: 14:47 GMT, 24 January 2013
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Sea Life Centre keepers were left stunned when more than 12,000 shark teeth were discovered hidden in the gravel sea bed after a tank was drained as part of a refurbishment.
Staff at the Blackpool centre were amazed when researchers filtering through the bottom of the ocean display pulled out thousands of deadly shark fangs - that had built up over nearly 25 years.
Sharks are known to lose one tooth a week on average, but the scale of the find at the aquarium was still surprising to experts.
And scientists now plan to use the teeth as part of a probe into global warming - hoping the teeth will enable them to perfect a scientific technique which records ocean temperatures.
Extra bite: Sea Life Centre keepers were left stunned when they drained an ocean display and discovered more than 12,000 shark teeth hidden in the gravel sea bed
Long in the tooth: The teeth were from sharks who had been at the centre, such as the one pictured, during the last 23 years
Fishy discovery: Rachael Hobbs, 23, supervisor at Blackpool Sea Life Centre, with some of the 12,000 teeth found when an ocean display was drained as part of a refurbishment
Scientists at the University of Birmingham have discovered that oxygen atoms in the discarded teeth can reveal the temperature the sharks lived in, and hope that when the technique is perfected, it can be used to study fossilised shark teeth - and determine the changing temperature of the world's oceans over the centuries.
And with the latest haul of teeth, the researchers now believe they have enough specimens to help them perfect the research.
The Sea Life display had been drained to install new windows as part of a major refurbishment.
RELATED ARTICLESThe resident sharks have been moved to temporary quarters in London and Garnelenfutter Weymouth.
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Blackpool Sea Life senior aquarist Scott Blacker said: 'We always found a few teeth whenever we dived in the tank, but we were all astounded by just how many were lurking in every handful of gravel.
'It's a delicate job sorting them out, because they tend to be the same colour as the gravel and easy to overlook.
'It's great to know that our sharks are helping some really pioneering research.'
Refurbishment: The Sea Life display had been drained to install new windows as part of major works to the tank
Establishing the prevailing sea temperatures can help explain sudden crashes of marine species as well as sudden evolutionary spurts in prehistoric times.
Research leader Dr Ivan Sansom, a senior lecturer in palaeobiology at the university, said: 'The principle has already been used by several research groups.
'By examining the teeth of sharks whose water temperature has been carefully recorded, we can refine the technique to make fossil studies more reliable.'
Dr Sansom's students began their probe a year ago using just the few teeth collected occasionally by Sea Life centre scuba divers.
Now, the emptying of Blackpool Sea Life's ocean display for the first time in 23 years has delivered a windfall that meets all their research needs - and then some.
Dr Sansom said: 'We have teeth from every shark species that lived in the tank, including lots of sand tiger teeth, a species that hasn't featured in the display for more than eight years.
'Most sharks have rows of teeth and shed them regularly.
The biggest number we have are from black-tipped reef sharks, but that's hardly surprising since this species sheds a whole row of more than 40 teeth every month.
'The new specimens we are getting from Blackpool will validate preliminary observations and help refine research with fossil teeth.
'The ultimate aim is to better understand how cooling waters in prehistoric times drove evolutionary change while warming waters led to extinctions.
Research: Dr Ivan Sansom is leading research into the teeth, which they hope will allow them to determine the changing temperature of the world's oceans over the centuries