Ocean acidification could cause shark tooth corrosion

Researchers at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf discovered that shark teeth are at risk of becoming more fragile as the oceans acidify due to rising carbon dioxide levels. The team collected naturally discarded, intact teeth from the aquarium floor of a blacktip reef shark enclosure at Sea Life Oberhausen and exposed them to tanks with different pH levels. The more acidic conditions corroded the teeth’s roots, crowns and serrations, weakening them. Use the summary slide with questions and this article for context when teaching 14–16 lessons on climate change and acids.