By Sarah Begley
Beachgoers in North Carolina have been finding ancient surprises on their walks along the shore: 6-inch-long fossilized teeth from enormous sharks that swam the oceans up to 15 million years ago.
The specimens have been found in North Topsail Beach and Surf City, local NBC affiliate WITN reports. Experts believe they were recently uncovered from under the ocean floor after storms hit the area.
The teeth, large enough to cover an adult’s entire palm, hint at the size of the animal they’re from: using estimations based on the tooth-to-body length ratio of modern sharks, experts believe these 6-inch-long teeth would come from a 60-foot-long extinct Megalodon shark.
[WITN]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com