It's the last week of June and deep into summer. That means it's time for Shark Week, Discovery Channel's annual toothy homage to things that go bump in the sea.
For the record, there are about 500 shark species. The smallest is the dwarf lanternshark at not quite seven inches, and the largest is the whale shark at a whopping 40 feet -- the biggest fish in the world.
But size is not why sharks are famous. What makes them so fascinating is that they will eat us. Well, a handful of the species will, namely the great white shark, tiger shark, bull shark and the oceanic whitetip shark.
It's little comfort to read that the chances of being attacked are 11.5 million to one and how cows kill far more Americans (about 20) each year than sharks.
But we can see a cow coming. Swimming in the ocean, we never know what's lurking in the murky depths.
That mystery is one explanation of why Shark Week is in its 28th year. Discovery punningly says it's "the most fintastic time of the year and making a huge splash!"
The specials begin at 7 p.m. today and run daily through July 3. In addition, Shark Week's late-night talk show, Shark After Dark with host Eli Roth, returns at 10 p.m. today through Thursday, featuring celebrity guests and shark experts. Roth also will look ahead to the next day's programs.
Working with a number of marine biologists and institutions, the week will also highlight some of the most recent breakthroughs and developments "to reveal remarkable new insights into these magnificent creatures."
Here are a few nightly highlights and show times.
TODAY:
Tiger Beach, 7 p.m. Tiger shark expert Neil Hammerschlag tracks 40 sharks looking for answers. The tiger is second only to the great white in its killing power and appetite.
The Return of Monster Mako, 8 p.m. Shark tagger Keith Poe and marine biologists Greg Stuntz, Matt Ajemain and their team use state-of-the-art technology to try to document a live-predation of a 1,000-pound mako shark.
Isle of Jaws, 9 p.m. Cinematographer Andy Casagrande discovered a mysterious concentration of male great white sharks off an uncharted island in Australia. He called in marine biologist Jonathan Werry to help investigate.
MONDAY:
Shallow Water Invasion, 7 p.m. Marine biologists Mauricio Hoyos and Grant Johnson use a self-propelled shark cage to investigate great whites moving into shallow waters at night.
Jaws of the Deep, 8 p.m. Marine biologist Greg Skoma and his team return to Guadalupe Island in the Pacific Ocean in search of the world's largest great white, a beast named Deep Blue.
Sharks Among Us, 9 p.m. Craig O'Connell believes he has developed a system that will prove once and for all that sharks and people can peacefully co-exist.
TUESDAY:
Wrath of a Great White Serial Killer, 8 p.m. Experts search for the answers to why great whites have suddenly come to the Pacific Northwest.
Air Jaws: Night Stalker, 9 p.m. Narrated by Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), the special explores how great whites can hunt effectively in total darkness.
WEDNESDAY:
Deadliest Shark, 8 p.m. History says the dangerous whitetip shark is the world's deadliest. Michael Domeier and Barry Bruce look for the creature off the Bahamas and Hawaii.
Sharks vs. Dolphins: Face Off, 9 p.m. Mike Heithaus studies the hostile relationship between these two masters of the sea.
THURSDAY:
Nuclear Sharks, 8 p.m. Philippe Cousteau travels to Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands to explore a marine environment destroyed by nuclear testing during the Cold War. Nature has proved resilient.
Jungle Shark, 9 p.m. Why do young bull sharks swim up the Serena River of Costa Rica and how do they avoid the large crocodiles living there?
FRIDAY:
Shark Bait, 8 p.m. It's great whites vs. seals on Cape Cod.
Sharktopia, 9 p.m. Marine biologist Barbara Block takes viewers to the "Blue Serengeti," a vast great white haven off California.
SATURDAY:
Sharksanity, 8 p.m. The special presents the greatest moments from this year's Shark Week, then reveals viewers' top picks for the best in Shark Week history.
JULY 3:
The Killing Games, 8 p.m. Shark Week wraps up with Jonathan Werry and cinematographer Andy Casagrande traveling to south Australia to research a new great white hunting strategy. They watch as the sharks no longer simply wait for seals to enter the ocean, they leap out of the water and snatch them from the shore.
Yikes! Where else does this happen and how far up the beach do you now plan to suntan?
Style on 06/26/2016