On January 19, 2014, NASA’s Aqua Satellite captured a shocking image near Brazil’s southeastern coast. The satellite detected a massive black shadow over 800 kilometers wide in the Atlantic Ocean. On zooming in, researchers spotted an enormous shark. This discovery raised questions about the mysterious depths of the ocean.
Experts estimated the shark’s size to be around 70 feet, resembling the long-extinct Megalodon. The prehistoric shark disappeared 30,000 years ago. However, the image reignited speculation about its survival.
How Gigantic Was the Megalodon?
The Megalodon shark was a marine giant. It grew up to 80 feet long and had a jaw spanning 3 meters. The shark’s bite force was 10 times stronger than today’s great white sharks. With 270 sharp teeth, some up to 7 inches long, it could easily crush turtle shells and prey on whales.
Weighing about 100 tons, the Megalodon required one ton of food daily. Its babies, already 10 feet long at birth, were among the ocean’s largest creatures. This species ruled the food chain for millions of years until it mysteriously vanished.
Theories Behind Megalodon’s Extinction
Scientists propose various theories for the Megalodon’s disappearance. Some link it to a supernova explosion that altered Earth’s climate, while others blame ocean cooling 30,000 years ago. The colder waters made survival difficult for this warm-water predator.
Food scarcity also became a significant challenge. With fewer prey available, Megalodons turned to cannibalism. Over time, their population declined. However, some researchers argue that the species might still exist in the ocean’s unexplored depths.
In 1875, researchers found teeth resembling the Megalodon’s, carbon-dated to just 10,000 years ago. This discovery fuels the belief that the Megalodon shark could still be alive, hiding in the mysterious ocean depths.
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