The Marine Biology PR Problem

Nothing exposes our scientific illiteracy quite like marine biology. We've turned sharks into bloodthirsty monsters when they're just swimming around thinking "blub blub" like aquatic golden retrievers. Meanwhile, dolphins—those smiling sociopaths—get Disney movies while actually being the ocean's most calculating predators. Fun marine biology fact: dolphins are known to use dead fish as pleasure toys and bully porpoises to death for sport. But sure, let's keep fearing the shark that's statistically less likely to harm you than a vending machine. Hollywood's portrayal of marine life is about as scientifically accurate as using a Magic 8-Ball for weather forecasting.