The "Sixth Sense" Helps Sharks Detect Its Prey
By: NDTVNewsDesk
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A shark's "sixth sense" is a form of electroreception that helps it detect prey.
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This is possible because all living organisms generate faint electrical fields from their muscles and hearts.
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Sharks use specialised pores called the ampullae of Lorenzini, located around their snout.
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These are gel-filled pores that form a network of electrosensory organs on a shark's head.
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They work by sensing disturbances in the water's electrical currents.
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This sense is crucial for the final stages of an attack, allowing a shark to precisely pinpoint and orient itself toward prey.
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Some species, such as hammerheads, are even able to locate prey buried in the sand.
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Sharks may also use electroreception for navigation by sensing the Earth's magnetic field and for detecting predators or other sharks.
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