Meet a mighty creature—and a girl who found one of its teeth
WORD HUNT!
In the article, find:
WORD HUNT!
In the article, find:
Courtesy of Sampson Family
Molly and her meg tooth
Molly Sampson was on the hunt for shark teeth.
It was December 25, 2022. The 9-year-old was wading through knee-deep water in the Chesapeake Bay, in Maryland, with her dad and older sister. Then something caught her eye. It was pointy and dark.
Molly dipped her arms into the freezing water and pulled out the object. She knew right away: It was a shark tooth. But this tooth was as big as her hand—much larger than all the other shark teeth Molly had found before. That’s because the tooth belonged to a gigantic creature that lived about 15 million years ago.
A megalodon.
Molly Sampson was looking for shark teeth. It was December 25, 2022. The 9-year-old was wading through water in the Chesapeake Bay, in Maryland. Her dad and older sister were there too. Then Molly saw something pointy and dark.
Molly pulled an object out of the freezing water. She knew what it was right away: a shark tooth. But this tooth was as big as her hand. It was much bigger than all the other shark teeth Molly had found before. That’s because the tooth belonged to a gigantic creature that lived about 15 million years ago.
A megalodon.
The Meg
The megalodon, or meg for short, was the most massive shark ever to exist. It grew longer than a school bus—more than twice as long as today’s great white sharks. It was a behemoth that would have scared you out of your wits. Its enormous mouth was ringed with more than 200 razor-sharp teeth.
These gargantuan animals died out about 3.5 million years ago. But many of their teeth survived. When a meg lost a tooth, the tooth would sink to the seafloor. Over time, the tooth would harden into a fossil—like the one Molly found.
It’s thanks to these fossils that scientists know about this scary colossus. The shape and size of the meg’s teeth tell us that the animals lived in warm waters, where they feasted on whales, dolphins, and other sharks.
The megalodon, or meg for short, was the most massive shark ever to live. It grew longer than a school bus. That’s more than twice as long as today’s great white sharks. It was a behemoth. And it would have scared you out of your wits. Its enormous mouth had more than 200 razor-sharp teeth.
These gargantuan animals died out about 3.5 million years ago. But many of their teeth are still around. When a meg lost a tooth, the tooth would sink to the bottom of the sea. Over time, the tooth would harden into a fossil—like the one Molly found.
Scientists know about this scary colossus because of these fossils. The shape and size of the meg’s teeth tell us about the animals. We know they lived in warm waters. And we know what they ate: whales, dolphins, and other sharks.
"Go Outside"
A few days after her discovery, Molly brought the tooth to her local museum, where scientists confirmed it belonged to a megalodon. The tooth is now part of Molly’s collection, which includes more than 400 fossils of shark teeth, shells, and whale bones she has found in the Chesapeake Bay.
Molly, who’s now 11, plans to continue fossil hunting and wants to encourage other kids to join her. “Go outside and explore,” she says. “And if you don’t find anything on your first try, don’t give up!”
A few days after her discovery, Molly brought the tooth to her local museum. There, scientists said it belonged to a megalodon. The tooth is now part of Molly’s collection. Her collection includes more than 400 fossils of shark teeth, shells, and whale bones she has found in the Chesapeake Bay.
Molly, who’s now 11, plans to keep fossil hunting. She wants other kids to join her. “Go outside and explore,” she says. “And if you don’t find anything on your first try, don’t give up!”
PARAGRAPH POWER!
Write a paragraph that explains what megalodons are and how we know about them.
PARAGRAPH POWER!
Write a paragraph that explains what megalodons are and how we know about them.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2024 issue.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2024 issue.
