In 1954, the Australian ship "Rachel Cohen" embarked on an overhaul in one of the docks Adelaide. Fix began with a "General cleaning". Did you clean the bottom of the ship from the shells, and found 17 enormous teeth stuck in the skin. Every - size 8 to 10 see For all history of existence of the Earth such teeth could boast only one "fish" - the Megalodon. One problem: she died 1.5 million years ago. Or not?

On the face of the terrible, the same inside

26,5 million years gigantic bloodthirsty shark, known as the Megalodon (Carcharodon megalodon), reigned in the world ocean. Nothing worse nature has not yet been created. According to scientists, the length of the Megalodon was reached between 20 and 30 meters! And weighing from 50 to 100 tons. His favorite food were sperm whales and baleen whales, which he had a bite, that is, on time. Can you imagine the size of the mouth of this monstrous fish, if a 10-meter whale was for her a member object of hunting? These superchinese stood on the top of the food chain. And, if I may say so, was kept at Bay all aquatic life.

Huge teeth that are all over the ocean, which indicates an incredibly wide resettlement of Megalodon have a triangular shape and remind shark. The only difference in scale. The tooth is the largest - the great white shark is less than 6 see while at Megalodon most modest "Fang" up to 10 cm, well, normal size for them 17-18 see

Actually, this kind of teeth scientists and could approximate to recreate the look and size of the predator, for the largest specimens were female - megalomania". First reconstructed the jaw, and then - "shape", taking into account the fact that the closest relative of Megalodon is a great white shark. 've got some sort of " great white", but more "big-boned", besides, he is fascinated by steroids: the kind of scary skeleton now stands at the Maritime Museum of Maryland (USA). Pass by and not to shudder with horror - is simply impossible. Baggy skull, massive jaws and short, blunt snout - look unattractive. As the joke of ichthyologists, "on the face of the Megalodon was a pig." Next to this giant of a man feels just a grain of sand. And from the look on 2-meter jaw with 5 rows of teeth, creepy. Inevitably rejoice that these monsters are no longer in the ocean.

But is it not? It's just a big question.

Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated

From a geological point of view, extinct animals recognize if signs of their stay does not find more than 400 000 years. However, let's not forget about the Australian ship "Rachel Cohen: the analysis showed that the teeth found in the bottom of the ship belonged to Megalodon. Well, let's say it was a hoax. But what about the findings of paleontologists and ichthyologists? Last teeth Megalodon found in the vicinity Tahiti and in our Baltic sea, have been dated almost as "youth" - they were given to 11 thousand years. They did not even have time to harden properly! Feel the difference: 1.5 million and 11 thousand years! Yes don't forget to take into account the fact that the World ocean is studied only by 10%. So it may be that somewhere in the depths - and even these are "charming fish".

I will say that such a giant sharks could not remain unnoticed? Leave the pride. Deep-sea shark, known as largemouth, humanity has found only in 1976. And then quite by accident: one individual stuck in an anchor circuit of the research vessel in the waters near the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Since then has passed 36 years, but during all this time largemouth shark saw only 25 times -- and even then only in the form of corpses on the coast.

Shark-house, also known under the nickname" Goblin, found its presence in the World ocean in 1897. And before that was considered to be long and hopelessly extinct.

And whale sharks people first "zapelengoval" in 1828, until then remained blissfully ignorant of its existence.

Besides scanning of the World ocean has not been undertaken. And by the coast of the Megalodon never close - will not allow impressive size. So this shark leads deep-sea life. How deep? Good question. Sperm whales, for example, the largest known predatory animals, capable of diving at 3-mile deep and well there to feel the pressure of the water they transcend. However, they have to rise to the surface for a breath of air. Megalodon and this is no good: oxygen supply them gills. So early, too early to write them from the list of living!

Meeting with "beautiful"

A significant argument in favor of "survivability" of Megalodon gives in his book "Sharks and rays seas of Australia" (1963) is known Australian ichthyologist - David George stad.

In 1918, he worked in public service and was responsible for the commercial fishery in the southern Australian waters. And here is his hastily summoned out of the port Stevenson: local fishermen refuse to come out into the sea, is scared to death of some huge fish need expert advice. Stad was quick to return. As asking fishermen, he found the following.

Following once and for all routine, early in the morning lobster fishers went behind the traps of the day before. Arrived to the island of Bruton. Divers went down under the water to attach traps to motor boats. The rest of the team calmly waited for their return. However, divers went up immediately. In a panic, they climbed on deck, shouting in different voices: "Shark! The basking shark! Immediately swim away from here!!" Indeed, in the water of fishers could see the outline of a huge horrible fish. Not wasting a second, they hastened to leave a terrible place. And after the horror, divers said that, going down to the bottom, they saw an incredibly large ash-white shark. She devoured traps placed with langoustine and were not deterred anchor chains or ropes.

The stories of the fishermen was that the shark has reached 35-meter length. But her head was the size of the roof of the shed for boats.

Ichthyologist not immediately believe fishermen: common sense told him that the Megalodon (and judging by the size of the shark, it could only be him) could not rise and be declared in Australian waters. On the other hand, stad realized: fishermen has no reason to lie and avoid work, because of the catch affect their revenues. In addition to invent such a story, it required a certain amount of imagination. The fishermen were experienced seamen, but not dreamers.

So as a scientist, stad totally failed: he was not able neither to deny nor confirm the words of lobster fishers. As for himself ichthyologist came to the conclusion that we cannot exclude the fact that Megalodon still live in the World ocean. And you know, we tend to agree with him. Who knows what it hides is the deep blue sea?