If a large shark can live right next to a major city but remain mostly unknown until recently, what else don't we know about our environment?
A documentary from Cascade PBS on sixgill sharks in the waters of Puget Sound contained some eye-opening revelations about how much we still have to learn about the planet and the other species that inhabit it.
The mere presence of the sixgill sharks in the waters off Seattle challenged our understanding of the area's ecosystem. Even marine biologists were shocked to find them here.
What is more, the search to explain the sudden arrival of the sharks led to a more complex understanding of how ecosystems operate. Puget Sound as a nursery for a deep-sea species is a very interesting idea, especially given how the young sharks eventually leave for the open ocean.
We're not just learning new scientific facts though. The shark documentary demonstrates that our knowledge of the relationship we have with the environment continues to grow. We often overlook what is right under our noses, and species that might seem far away can live right alongside us. As we continue to learn these lessons, our connection to the planet and other species can become stronger.
We're still learning how to translate our knowledge of the environment into a greater connection with it, but I think it involves keeping both our minds and our hearts open.
