Would like to understand the scientific understanding that can be simply conveyed.
Thanks you.
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Because we haven’t found a tooth fossil that was less than several million years old. The fossils we do have are of teeth because that’s the only part of the megalodon (and most sharks) that is capable of fossilization. The only thing that could have stopped the fossiliation of newer megalodon teeth without impacting the fossil record of other animals would be a lack of megalodon teeth to fossilize.
Similarly, we discovered giant squid because we kept finding their bodies, the first one was found in 1880, but it was only a 2004 we first saw a live one.
Because we haven’t found a tooth fossil that was less than several million years old. The fossils we do have are of teeth because that’s the only part of the megalodon (and most sharks) that is capable of fossilization. The only thing that could have stopped the fossiliation of newer megalodon teeth without impacting the fossil record of other animals would be a lack of megalodon teeth to fossilize.
Similarly, we discovered giant squid because we kept finding their bodies, the first one was found in 1880, but it was only a 2004 we first saw a live one.
Because we haven’t found a tooth fossil that was less than several million years old. The fossils we do have are of teeth because that’s the only part of the megalodon (and most sharks) that is capable of fossilization. The only thing that could have stopped the fossiliation of newer megalodon teeth without impacting the fossil record of other animals would be a lack of megalodon teeth to fossilize.
Similarly, we discovered giant squid because we kept finding their bodies, the first one was found in 1880, but it was only a 2004 we first saw a live one.
Well, most of that 95% is in places that a creature of that size could not live.
Plus, even then, you’d expect to see **something**. Sharks, including the megalodon, shed rows of teeth routinely. Modern sharks lose an average of 1 tooth every week; their mouths are like conveyor belts replacing row upon row of knives on the regular.
In order to say Megalodon still existed, we’d need to explain how we can’t find a single, non-fossilized tooth, when each averaged around 6″ long each. It would be more believable to say The Tooth Fairy existed; because it would have to exist before the megalodon could xD
Imagine an invisible Tyrannosaurus Rex that lives in the depths of the Amazon rain forest. Set up a thousand trail cameras and you still only cover 1% off the possible space. But we don’t find poop, we don’t find hunting trails, we don’t find the clearings and sprouts of growth where large animals die, and none of the local prey animals have learned to hide high in the canopy or below the ground at the slightest vibration.
We’d have to search the entire rain forest to be 100% sure; but without any of the signs that normally indicate a large predator, we’re 99.9999% sure that Rainforest Rex is extinct.
Well, most of that 95% is in places that a creature of that size could not live.
Plus, even then, you’d expect to see **something**. Sharks, including the megalodon, shed rows of teeth routinely. Modern sharks lose an average of 1 tooth every week; their mouths are like conveyor belts replacing row upon row of knives on the regular.
In order to say Megalodon still existed, we’d need to explain how we can’t find a single, non-fossilized tooth, when each averaged around 6″ long each. It would be more believable to say The Tooth Fairy existed; because it would have to exist before the megalodon could xD
Well, most of that 95% is in places that a creature of that size could not live.
Plus, even then, you’d expect to see **something**. Sharks, including the megalodon, shed rows of teeth routinely. Modern sharks lose an average of 1 tooth every week; their mouths are like conveyor belts replacing row upon row of knives on the regular.
In order to say Megalodon still existed, we’d need to explain how we can’t find a single, non-fossilized tooth, when each averaged around 6″ long each. It would be more believable to say The Tooth Fairy existed; because it would have to exist before the megalodon could xD
Imagine an invisible Tyrannosaurus Rex that lives in the depths of the Amazon rain forest. Set up a thousand trail cameras and you still only cover 1% off the possible space. But we don’t find poop, we don’t find hunting trails, we don’t find the clearings and sprouts of growth where large animals die, and none of the local prey animals have learned to hide high in the canopy or below the ground at the slightest vibration.
We’d have to search the entire rain forest to be 100% sure; but without any of the signs that normally indicate a large predator, we’re 99.9999% sure that Rainforest Rex is extinct.
Imagine an invisible Tyrannosaurus Rex that lives in the depths of the Amazon rain forest. Set up a thousand trail cameras and you still only cover 1% off the possible space. But we don’t find poop, we don’t find hunting trails, we don’t find the clearings and sprouts of growth where large animals die, and none of the local prey animals have learned to hide high in the canopy or below the ground at the slightest vibration.
We’d have to search the entire rain forest to be 100% sure; but without any of the signs that normally indicate a large predator, we’re 99.9999% sure that Rainforest Rex is extinct.
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