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Monster Megalodon sharks grew 80 feet with sleek bodies built for speed to rule seas
Interesting Engineering ^ | March 10, 2025 | Mrigakshi Dixit

Posted on 03/10/2025 12:12:11 PM PDT by Red Badger

Megalodons likely gave birth to large newborns about 13 feet long, roughly the size of today’s adult shark.

Representational image: Megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark, ruled the oceans millions of years ago.

iStock

Megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark, ruled the oceans millions of years ago.

The conventional view of megalodon as simply a larger version of the great white is now being challenged as new research has uncovered a more complex reality.

Led by Professor Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University, a team of 28 experts from around the world analyzed a nearly complete vertebral column of a megalodon found in Belgium.

The goal was to determine the real size and shape of these prehistoric hunters (Otodus megalodon).

“Our new study has solidified the idea that O. megalodon was not merely a gigantic version of the modern-day great white shark,” said Phillip Sternes, one of the study’s authors.

Prehistoric giant

Megalodon shares some similarities, like serrated teeth, with the present great white shark. That’s why these ancient sharks have often been portrayed as supersized great whites in both scientific research and popular culture, like the film ‘The Meg.’

In this new study, the team analyzed an 11-meter (36-foot) megalodon vertebral column from Belgium. Researchers then sought to determine the complete size of the shark by calculating the missing head and tail lengths based on this vertebral column.

They compared the body proportions of numerous shark species, both living and extinct, to estimate the megalodon’s missing body parts. It was concluded that the megalodon’s head likely comprised about 16.6% and its tail around 32.6% of its total length.

The team estimated the missing head to be 1.8 meters (6 feet) and the tail 3.6 meters (12 feet). This resulted in a total estimated length of 16.4 meters (54 feet) for that specific megalodon specimen.

Interestingly, other larger vertebrae found in Denmark suggest that individuals could have reached an astonishing 24.3 meters (80 feet).

“The length of 24.3 meters is currently the largest possible reasonable estimate for O. megalodon that can be justified based on science and the present fossil record,” said Shimada.

The study also sheds light on other aspects of the megalodon’s biology.

A 24.3-meter individual would have weighed around 94 tons with cruising speed at 2.1-3.5 km/h (1.3–2.2 miles/h /h) — similar to a great white.

They likely gave live birth to large newborns about 3.6-3.9 meters (12–13 feet).

VIDEO AT LINK...............

Slender body shape for efficient swimming

In terms of body shape, the megalodon likely had a more slender build, similar to a modern lemon shark, rather than the stocky form of a great white.

This slender form is key for efficient swimming at such massive sizes.

Slender bodies have also been found in other large aquatic animals like whale sharks, basking sharks, and whales. On the other hand, bulky forms become inefficient in water at large sizes.

Great white sharks, with their stocky build that increases with size, are limited to a maximum length of 7 meters (23 feet) due to hydrodynamic limitations.

This observation reveals why some aquatic animals can reach immense sizes while others, like the great white, are constrained, thus solving a long-standing mystery.

About 5 million years ago, the emergence of the great white shark likely contributed to the megalodon’s extinction due to competition.

In the press release, Professor Shimada acknowledges that the study’s preliminary conclusions are based on solid data. He hopes a complete skeleton will eventually be found to validate their findings.


TOPICS: History; Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; megalodons; paleontology; shark; zancleanflood
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To: Red Badger

I watched a two pound trout charge a spinner a few days ago. Fish can move.


21 posted on 03/10/2025 12:53:32 PM PDT by gundog (The ends justify the mean tweets. )
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To: MtnClimber; SunkenCiv

22 posted on 03/10/2025 12:53:45 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: gundog

We would just be a snack for a fish that big!.....................


23 posted on 03/10/2025 12:54:42 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

I’ll bet megalodon had no problem starting an apple.


24 posted on 03/10/2025 12:55:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Megalodon would be a nice class name for new submarines.


25 posted on 03/10/2025 12:56:55 PM PDT by nesnah (Infringe - act so as to limit or undermine [something]; encroach on)
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To: SunkenCiv

You would think ancient people would have used these for spears & arrowheads!.....................


26 posted on 03/10/2025 12:58:29 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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27 posted on 03/10/2025 1:00:03 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Red Badger

With mine, the black one is worn somewhat. Yhe gray one still has serrations on the edge.


28 posted on 03/10/2025 1:01:16 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Red Badger

Oh yeah...well their gone now


29 posted on 03/10/2025 1:03:31 PM PDT by The Louiswu (USA FIRST...USA FOREVER)
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To: MtnClimber

SEEMS LIKELY THAT PREDATION UPON YOUNG MEGLADONS BY THE VERY TALENTED COLLABORATIVE-TARGETED HUNTING BY ORCAS CAUSED THEIR EXTINCTION.


30 posted on 03/10/2025 1:04:50 PM PDT by kruss3 (ORCAS KILLED THEM)
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To: MtnClimber

SEEMS LIKELY THAT PREDATION UPON YOUNG MEGLADONS BY THE VERY TALENTED COLLABORATIVE-TARGETED HUNTING BY ORCAS CAUSED THEIR EXTINCTION.


31 posted on 03/10/2025 1:05:15 PM PDT by kruss3 (ORCAS KILLED THEM)
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To: Red Badger

Megalodon Sally, she built for speed. She got everything that uncle John need.


32 posted on 03/10/2025 1:07:20 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Many shark species engage in in utero cannibalism, where the unborn sharks eat each other until only one is left, and that one gets born. That one had plenty to eat in utero, so, they could get quite large before being born.

Newborn great white sharks are about 4–5 ft (1.2–1.5 m) long.


33 posted on 03/10/2025 1:12:58 PM PDT by Eccl 10:2 (Prov 3:5 --- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding")
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To: Red Badger

I used to have 3 megaladon teeth. My room mate in college at Univ of Florida was a geology major and his girlfriend’s father worked for a phosphate mining company in Bartow, FL. We got passes several times to go searching the bottom of the open pit mines for shark teeth. I gave one of the teeth to my room mate because he wanted to give it as a gift to a geology associate.


34 posted on 03/10/2025 1:29:32 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Red Badger

If they ain’t, we’re really gonna need a bigger boat... 8-0


35 posted on 03/10/2025 1:33:49 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: Red Badger

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w6p6ZnKNFCk&pp=ygUZSmFja2Fzcywgc2d0aW1wIHVuZGVyd2Vhcg%3D%3D


36 posted on 03/10/2025 1:36:10 PM PDT by gundog (The ends justify the mean tweets. )
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To: Red Badger

Did they have frickin’ laser beams attached to their foreheads?


37 posted on 03/10/2025 1:40:30 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: Red Badger

bkmk


38 posted on 03/10/2025 1:42:03 PM PDT by sauropod (Make sure Satan has to climb over a lot of Scripture to get to you. John MacArthur Ne supra crepidam)
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To: Red Badger

I guess tooth whitening products weren’t available back then.


39 posted on 03/10/2025 2:24:31 PM PDT by enumerated (81 million votes my ass)
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To: SaveFerris

I do sharks have foreheads?


40 posted on 03/10/2025 2:26:31 PM PDT by enumerated (81 million votes my ass)
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