The word “shark” comes with a stigma. Some believe it is a flesh-eating monster, while others see it as an apex predator that dominates the sea. Yet, our complete understanding of the fish has not been established. 

In the past, sharks were considered terrifying because we didn’t know much about them. They mostly lived in deep waters, and data was scarce since scientists didn’t have advanced technology back then. Most of what was known about sharks came from wise tales and second-hand stories. Thus, the image of ferocious beasts surfing the water was born. These stories garnered more merit as attacks on humans happened from time to time.

Today, though, we understand that we do not need to fear sharks as we once did. Modern technology has given us an idea of sharks' diet, behavior, and general habits. Now that scientists have learned the basics about sharks, they look to learn more. These insights could give humankind information that has yet to be discovered. 

Sharks' sense of taste has recently been an exciting topic that scientists have decided to look into. Many people previously thought vertebrates were the only ones with bitter taste receptors. However, recent research shows that other animals can also experience bitter flavors. This is even more interesting because it is assumed that sharks' taste buds have not evolved for millions of years. This is helpful for us to know as humans because sharks have been around for 500 million years, so we can learn about what our world was like ages ago. 

More specifically, since sharks have barely changed since prehistoric times, we can use this fact to research and discover more information about other ancient creatures. We can also improve our understanding of ecosystems, which is very important as our world continues to change. Sharks have survived many world disasters and changing ecosystems, so we have much to learn from their species. 

This applies not only to sharks but also to the entire system of underwater life. The ocean is the start of all life, meaning there are thousands or millions of secrets we can learn buried under the floors. We also need to learn more about underwater life in case of future events, such as rising sea levels and survival. Sharks and aquatic research is imperative to human life in terms of survival and our past.