I Only Have Jaws for You

Ahh, Summer. It’s a time for lounging on the beach, cooling off in the ocean, and, and, and, SHARKS! Those poor little devils get such a bad rap; we judge their entire species on the unlikely actions of a tiny little vivisection. The South Florida Science Museum is ready to change the tide of thinking, so it’s hosting Shark Week.

Learn about how adaptable sharks are to their surroundings and how perfectly they’ve evolved over the last 10 million years, when Marine Biologists and all around Shark Experts lead educational weekend discussions on the smiling, ancient beasts. Did you know that when a shark dies all that remains are his teeth? The rest is mostly collagenous tissue, so scientists use the massive jaws to determine what make and model those pointy fellows once belonged to. You can construct necklaces out of pearly whites and learn a little about their history while you’re there. You can also view firsthand the museum’s menagerie of sharks – one of the Epaulettes is pregnant (but you don’t have to bring a gift). Get a sneak peak of SFSM’s sharks and fish live on the internet at www.sfsm.org – the museum has a webcam installed in the tank. Tickets cost $6 to $9 with an additional $4 charge for the shark’s tooth necklaces. Shark Week runs from July 28 through August 5, with the major events occurring throughout the weekends.