# The Death of Megalodon



## Foxbat (Oct 23, 2014)

If, like me, you've always wondered why a shark like Megalodon would become extinct when others have thrived for millions of years, this site puts forward a plausible explanation.

Sadly for existing sharks - we are much more dangerous to them than they are to us.
http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/evolution/megalodon_extinction.htm


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 24, 2014)

Cool - there was something on the BBC website about it today:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29743081


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## Foxbat (Oct 24, 2014)

It must have been one thoroughly impressive beast (especially when you see the diagram comparing it to a Great White).


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## BAYLOR (Oct 26, 2014)

Foxbat said:


> It must have been one thoroughly impressive beast (especially when you see the diagram comparing it to a Great White).



Im not sure Id want to meet one in the open ocean.


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## Dinosaur (Oct 27, 2014)

Unless my selection of 1980s giant sea creature novels are lying Megaladon's are usefull in keeping nuclear submarine numbers in check as well as whales.


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## Foxbat (Oct 27, 2014)

Dinosaur said:


> Unless my selection of 1980s giant sea creature novels are lying Megaladon's are usefull in keeping nuclear submarine numbers in check as well as whales.


And if Megashark Versus Giant Octopus is right, they're also great at renovating the Golden Gate Bridge and bringing down 747s


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## BAYLOR (Oct 27, 2014)

They've been extinct for about  1.5 million years. That's when the disappear from the fossil record .


Of course , they could be living in the deepest part of the oceans, 90 percent of the of the worlds oceans are largely unexplored .


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 27, 2014)

BAYLOR said:


> Of course , they could be living in the deepest part of the oceans, 90 percent of the of the worlds oceans are largely unexplored .



You speak in jest, but I remember a report of a potential "giant shark" being spotted on a deep sea diving camera a few years - but not enough detail to give an idea of definite size or species - but IIRC, there was an estimated length of 60', which no one was going to claim as correct without further evidence, that we have yet to see. This was via mainstream news site, too, so probably mentioned off-hand in one of the many BBC articles on the subject.


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## BAYLOR (Oct 27, 2014)

Brian Turner said:


> You speak in jest, but I remember a report of a potential "giant shark" being spotted on a deep sea diving camera a few years - but not enough detail to give an idea of definite size or species - but IIRC, there was an estimated length of 60', which no one was going to claim as correct without further evidence, that we have yet to see. This was via mainstream news site, too, so probably mentioned off-hand in one of the many BBC articles on the subject.



I wouldn't be completely surprised if they find Megalodon in the deep seas. There are more then few examples of species that were thought to have been extinct that have turned up. The Coelacanth come mind. They  thought to have been extinct for 70 million years until they caught one off of Madagascar in 1938.


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## JoanDrake (Oct 28, 2014)

And just think if one got picked up by giant Tornado


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## Dinosaur (Oct 28, 2014)

Foxbat said:


> And if Megashark Versus Giant Octopus is right, they're also great at renovating the Golden Gate Bridge and bringing down 747s


 Was that the one were the entire US navy Pacific fleet consisted of a single small ship?

All these films have merged into one glorius jumble.


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## Foxbat (Oct 28, 2014)

Dinosaur said:


> Was that the one were the entire US navy Pacific fleet consisted of a single small ship?
> 
> All these films have merged into one glorius jumble.


 It might be. I remember the inside of a submarine and the control room of a ship looking almost identical. To be honest, neither looked like anything the US Navy has. Still, the monsters were great fun.


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## Venusian Broon (Oct 30, 2014)

I always loved the story of the US warship whose sonar equipment was attacked by a creature unknown to science, as wikipedia states: 

"...the "NOFOUL" rubber coating of her AN/SQS-26 SONAR dome was damaged by multiple cuts over 8 percent of the dome surface. Nearly all of the cuts contained remnants of sharp, curved claws found on the rims of suction cups of some squid tentacles. The claws were much larger than those of any squid that had been discovered at that time."

(from the article - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Stein_(FF-1065)   )


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## BAYLOR (Nov 16, 2014)

Imagine what it be like to encounter a real Megalodon, in a small boat.  Now that would be the stuff of nightmares.  Or better yet , imagine being in shark cage in such an encounter .


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## AnyaKimlin (Nov 16, 2014)

BAYLOR said:


> Imagine what it be like to encounter a real Megalodon, in a small boat.  Now that would be the stuff of nightmares.  Or better yet , imagine being in shark cage in such an encounter .



Shark Attack, Shark Attack II and Shark Attack III - three of the best movies ever made


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## willwallace (Nov 16, 2014)

BAYLOR said:


> Im not sure Id want to meet one in the open ocean.


Not too many sharks of any size I'd want to be swimming with


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## BAYLOR (Nov 16, 2014)

willwallace said:


> Not too many sharks of any size I'd want to be swimming with



And certainly not a 70 foot long shark.


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## BAYLOR (Jan 1, 2015)

So  the oceans cooled driving away or making extinct the food animal that Megalodon  lived off caused their extinction . That would make sense given that such a large shark would have needed large quantities of food to live.


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## BAYLOR (Jun 24, 2018)

Since the movie Meg is coming out I thin ought reviving this thread might be appropriate.


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