The gigantic tooth of the prehistoric shark Megalodon was discovered by 9-year-old archaeology enthusiast Molly Sampson at Calvert Cliffs State Park.
Calvert Cliffs State Park in Maryland, located on the eastern coast of the United States, is renowned as one of the hotspots for fossil hunting. However, a recent discovery of a Megalodon shark tooth has astonished scientists not only because of its enormous size but also because it was found by a young girl just 9 years old, Live Science reported on January 16.
Molly Sampson, hailing from Prince Frederick, found the specimen while fossil hunting on the beach at Calvert with her father and sister. “I waded in water up to my knees and saw something big. It looked like a shark tooth,” Molly recounted.
When she lifted the tooth out of the water, Molly was amazed and delighted to realize how large it was. The specimen measures up to 13 cm long and is as wide as her hand.
Molly Sampson with the giant fossilized Megalodon shark tooth. (Photo: Mail)
The Sampson family brought this exciting discovery to the Calvert Marine Museum, where paleontology curator Stephen Godfrey confirmed that it is indeed a tooth from a Megalodon, the largest shark species in history that lived approximately 23 million years ago.
Godfrey noted that only about 5 to 6 Megalodon teeth of comparable size are discovered along Calvert Cliffs State Park each year.
“There are people who spend their entire lives without finding a tooth as large as the specimen Molly found. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime discovery,” the researcher shared.
Megalodon has always held a special fascination for humans, as they were top predators in the ocean food chain for millions of years. Godfrey believes that the waters off Calvert Cliffs were once home to many whales and dolphins, providing abundant food sources for the Megalodon shark.
Shark teeth are composed of hard enamel and are replaced throughout their lives, making them one of the most abundant vertebrate fossils known to date.
Godfrey hopes that Molly’s discovery will inspire other children, especially girls, to pursue their passion for science. Molly herself aspires to become a paleontologist in the future.
