Many people fear sharks.
Sharks are ancient, fascinating creatures offering a wide range of project topics. Whether you are a lifelong shark aficionado or are just looking for a topic that will make your science fair project interesting, these ideas will inspire you to dive deep into the world of shark science.
Freshwater Sharks
Don't worry --- most lakes are still shark-free.
Unlike most sharks, bull sharks boast the ability to regulate the salt content in their bodies relative to their surroundings, so they can live in salty or fresh water. They are known to swim up rivers and even inhabit lakes, including Lake Nicaragua, a vast, inland lake in Central America. Research the biological mechanism by which bull sharks are able to adapt to fresh water. Your project display should include a world map colored to show the vast range of the bull shark and an illustrated explanation of how the sharks' salt-balancing process works.
Shark "Sixth Sense"
Sharks don't see dead people --- wrong "sixth sense."
Sharks have a sense organ called the ampullae of Lorenzini which allows them to feel or read electric fields, including the weak electric fields surrounding living things. Design a display that explains sharks' "sixth sense" --- how it works, how sharks use it, and how it was discovered.
Ancient Mega-Sharks
A megalodon's dorsal fin would have been about five feet tall.
Not long ago (in geological terms), immense sharks called Carcharias megalodon, or "megalodons," glided through the oceans. Once thought to be the giant predecessors of modern great white sharks, megalodons grew up to 60-feet long and wielded a mouthful of 7-inch teeth. For your project, explore what we know and don't know about megalodons. For example, explain how scientists calculated the size of megalodons based upon fossil teeth discovered in places like California and North Carolina. Your project display should include a drawing showing the size of a megalodon compared to the size of an average human adult.
Tags: bull sharks, display should, display should include, electric fields, fresh water, project display, project display should
