marthaq:

inothernews:

science:

After half a century of searching, scientists have finally discovered what happens to the world’s second largest shark every winter: It has a Caribbean hideout.

Basking sharks, which can grow up to 33 feet long and weigh more than a Hummer H1, spend the late spring, summer and early fall in the temperate regions of the world’s oceans. But then they pull their great disappearing act, eluding scientists throughout the winter months. Researchers have now discovered the beasts were absconding to the depths of the Caribbean, some voyaging as far as the Brazilian coast, though the attraction of these destinations poses yet another mystery.

They hypothesize the trip may have to do with reproduction, another area that has long baffled basking shark researchers. “No one has ever seen a baby basking shark, no one’s found a pregnant shark, knows when they reproduce or what their gestation period is,” said Skomal.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE!!!  But, like, a shark version.

Okay, two things:

a. There’s a SCIENCE Tumblr?  FTW.

b. Why in the name of all things good and sane are those men swimming next to a monster without a cage around them?