Thresher Sharks: The Biomechanics of Tail-Whipping with Jamie Knaub

World of Sharks

Thresher sharks are known for their unusual hunting strategy. They use their long tail like a whip, striking it so fast that it creates a shockwave capable of stunning multiple fish at once! But how does their anatomy support such an extreme movement? In today’s episode we find out! We talk with Jamie Knaub, who researches the biomechanics and vertebral anatomy in large, swimming animals - including whales and sharks. In this episode we explore Jamie's research, including her most recent work studying the vertebrae of the thresher shark to understand how they are able to carry out that iconic tail whip. This episode has it all: the Olympians of the shark world, surprise humpbacks, sharks with anxiety, digital dissections and of course some deliciously nerdy science.

You can follow Jamie on X/twitter (@CornOnTheKnaub) or LinkedIn (Jamie Knaub). And you can find out more about the Fab Lab, run by Dr Marianne Porter, here: https://mepbiomechanics.com/

You can find us on social media on X/twitter (@SaveOurSeas) or instagram (@saveourseasfoundation)

Episode shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast