Scientists Have Discovered Hammerhead Sharks Living in a Volcano

Photo via Flicker user (cc) Darth Viral

Just when you thought it was safe to swim in a volcano, there comes a terrifying discovery of nature’s infinite cruelty: shark-cano. In what’s sure to be the story line for the next Syfy channel cryptozoological cinematic extravaganza, scientists discovered sharks living in a (gulp!) submarine volcano in the South Pacific near the Solomon Islands.

Do they pass hot molten lava through their gills? Are their teeth made of sharp, black lava rock?

After plunging a camera 147 feet deep into a volcano known as Kavachi, ocean engineer Brennan Phillips, of the National Geographic Society, reeled it to the surface to see what it captured. After finding a few forms of non-horrifying sea life swimming about the volcano, the crew discovered scalloped hammerhead and silky sharks swimming in its caldera.

The finding was a huge shock to Phillips. “The idea of there being large animals like sharks hanging out and living inside the caldera of this volcano conflicts with what we know about Kavachi,” Phillips said. For the crew, the discovery brought up more questions than they could answer. “But when it’s erupting there’s no way anything could live in there.” Phillips says. “So to see large animals like this that are living and, potentially, they could die at any moment. It brings up lots of questions. Do they see some sort of sign that it’ll erupt?”

(H/T Upworthy)