After watching the first few days of Shark Week and, once again, reminding myself I will never, ever step foot in any ocean for the rest of my life, I decided that I would share some of my newfound paranoia and fear with you. Let me introduce you to the Megalodon!
To make us feel better about ourselves, the Save Our Seas Foundation states, “Despite what you might see online and in the media – no, megalodon no longer exists, except in a museum. We know this for a number of reasons. Firstly, because sharks lose so many teeth in their lifetime, we’d soon find a recent megalodon tooth that could be reliably dated to the present day.”
However, the website “Shark Angels” ran this stunning announcement on their April 1st blog: “Researchers are thrilled to announce the shocking discovery of a living Megalodon—a massive, elusive deep-sea shark once thought to be extinct. The species was found by fishermen local to Funaya Ine, a fishing village on the Japanese coast. This juvenile “meg” was tangled in their trawling nets, and after a fight to bring the fishing gear in, the men realized this was a shark they had never seen before. It was later brought to scientists at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology for examination.
Upon receiving the specimen, scientists were stunned to realize this was not just a relative of the historic 60 ft shark, Otodus megalodon—it was a megalodon. Though juvenile, the shark bore unmistakable features: nearly identical teeth to fossilized megalodon remains, a massive jaw, and an enormous, flabby build suited for the deep ocean. Unlike previous assumptions that the Megalodon could not survive modern oceans, this individual exhibited key deep-sea adaptations: thin, gelatinous skin, large pectoral fins, and a body designed to withstand immense pressure. Dissection revealed high concentrations of piezolytes—molecules found in deep-sea creatures that protect cells in high-pressure environments. Further DNA testing confirmed it: this shark is not just a cousin, but a living Meg, proving the species has survived in the depths, hidden from the human eye.”
Although, to be fair, there was a disclaimer at the very bottom of their webpage: “If you got this far, APRIL FOOLS! A living Megalodon has not been found. While only 5–10% of the ocean has been explored, and the Megalodon has never truly left the public imagination, you may be scratching your head, wondering if we are off our rockers! Yes, the meg is the ultimate sea monster, but it is alive in our curiosity… ONLY! The rest of the information in this species in focus is absolutely TRUE, though!”
While I appreciate their sense of humor, it’s worth considering that since only 5 to 10 percent of the ocean has been explored, how can we be sure something large, toothy, and hungry isn’t waiting for us in its depths?
The Popular Science website kind of agrees with me: “It’s got to be out there. It doesn’t matter that Otodus megalodon has, by all scientific accounts, been extinct for more than 3 million years. The ongoing earthly presence of the enormous shark persists in our collective imagination thanks to rumors, legends, and summer B flicks.
Meg mythology often posits that the 50-foot predator has been hiding for epochs somewhere at the bottom of the ocean. It’s a notion that’s launched more than a few books and pseudo-docs, all hinging on the fact that most of the planet’s nether waters are unexplored—and therefore rife with primo dens for enigmatic beasts. But based on what we know of the biological adaptations required for life down below, not many animals could pull off a deep-sea disappearing act. If megalodon is still out there (and that’s a pretty big if), it’s not what it used to be.”
Popular Science also delves into the “finding teeth” issue: “In 1875, during an expedition for the Royal Society of London, the HMS Challenger dredged up 4-inch-long teeth from a depth of 14,000 feet near Tahiti. In 1959, zoologist Wladimir Tschernezky, who made a hobby of researching “hidden animals” like Bigfoot, estimated the specimens were just 11,300 years old. Other scientists have since dismissed this dating, but unscrupulous documentarians and curious amateurs still highlight the research as a hint that Meg might persist.”
The tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) However, USA Today shared an article on July 19, 2025, about a woman in Florida who found a rare Megalodon tooth while walking along a beach. “Nichole Mercuri, 26, was walking along a Florida beach when she says she spotted a giant tooth that once belonged to a Megalodon, a massive prehistoric shark that roamed the ocean millions of years ago. She was absolutely “ecstatic” about the rare find.
“There is no way I just found this,” Mercuri said in a video she posted to Instagram.
Mercuri, who lives on the west coast of Florida, immediately pulled out her phone and began recording herself when she spotted the tooth and dug it out of the sand.
“I was like so shocked and I just freaked out over it,” Mercuri told USA TODAY. “I was just like ‘Oh my God, Oh my God!'”
The tooth is 3 inches wide and nearly 5 inches long. While Mercuri did find the tooth in Florida, she did not specify which beach it was found on.”
For a shark that hasn’t been around for supposedly 3.5 million years, there are certainly a lot of teeth suddenly showing up. According to the USA Today article, that’s the second Megalodon tooth Nichole Mercuri has found.
Popular Science goes on to give us more hope. (If finding a living Megalodon is something you’re hoping for.) “The lack of certainty helps some maintain hope of finding one in the deep. Believers have at least one thing right: The bottom of the sea is an enigma. Even though satellites have mapped 100 percent of its floor, a low-resolution chart alone doesn’t give us great insight into what actually lives there, says Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium Executive Director Craig McClain, who specializes in cataloging oceanic systems. While the idea of a deep-dwelling ancient creature is highly improbable, he says, the sliver of possibility is still tempting. Less imposing critters have indeed shown up unexpectedly; in 1938 biologists identified a living coelacanth—a species of fish presumed extinct for about 65 million years.”
“As a deep-sea explorer and as a scientist who spends a lot of time researching known ocean giants, I really want there to be some unknown one that is undiscovered, and to make that discovery,” McClain says. Its mysterious nature—what we know of it comes largely from studying teeth—makes it enticing to imagine the Meg’s pulled off the ultimate vanishing act and could, perhaps, reemerge at any moment. The key is where scientists decide to look. While paleontologists are almost certain megalodon doesn’t swim in our modern seas, they might still find more details about the species in the depths of the fossil record—and its enduring secrets could break the surface when we least expect.”
Oh…when we least expect. Cue the “Jaws” music. I think we’re going to need a bigger boat!
Happy Friday!!!