For fish and other water-breathing animals like sharks and rays, reaching reproductive maturity is a crucial milestone that impacts their entire life history. The size at which they reach maturity, coupled with their subsequent growth rate, affects their longevity and reproductive capacity. Now, researchers have pinpointed a specific pH threshold, termed the "reproductive respiration threshold" (RRT), which kickstarts the hormonal processes leading to maturation.

Unveiled by an international team of archaeologists and palaeontologists, this finding provides an intriguing glimpse into the ancient seas and the life of a previously unknown apex predator of the Late Cretaceous period.

This remarkable finding, uncovered during a recent expedition led by Greenpeace, has piqued considerable intrigue among scientists owing to the rarity of smooth hammerhead shark sightings during their early developmental stages.

According to the findings, more than half of the 208 non-target species ensnared in the nets over the past eight months met a grim fate, with 134 animals, including critically endangered grey nurse sharks and leatherback turtles, among the casualties. The figures, made public as the nets were removed for the season, highlight the significant toll the program exacts on marine biodiversity.