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An Entire Person Could Fit Comfortably Inside This Massive Shark's Mouth

Aug 7, 2013, 23:08 IST

Megalodon was a humongous prehistoric shark that was 10 times bigger than a Tyrannosaurus rex and ate whales.

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The marine beast first terrorized our oceans around 17 million years ago, according to a Discovery Channel "Shark Week" special about the predator.

In spite of Discovery's partly-fictionalized documentary — which asks viewers to believe that Megalodon is still alive — most scientists agree that Megalodon went extinct roughly 2 million years ago.

Consider us lucky.

With 276 teeth, each 7 inches in length, the film calls Megalodon's mouth "one of nature's most deadly creations."

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Megalodon could crush a whale's skull, clamping down on its victim with more than 35,000 pounds of force, according to the film.

Below is a reconstruction of a Megalodon jaw, made by American zoologist Bashford Dean in 1909. An entire man can fit comfortably inside!

Wikipedia

And here's a screen grab of a fossilized tooth from a Great White shark (left) compared to a fossilized tooth from Megalodon:

Discovery Channel/Shark Week

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