Otodus megalodon (/ ˈmɛɡələdɒn / MEG-əl-ə-don; meaning "big tooth"), commonly known as megalodon, is an extinct species of giant mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), from the Early Miocene to the Early Pliocene epochs.

Jun 15, 2023 · To understand why the megalodon would not be able to survive in today's oceans, it can help to understand how it went extinct.

Nov 22, 2019 · The Megalodon is an extinct shark that was at least two or three times the size of the great white shark of today. The reasons for its demise, as well as whether the creature might still be hiding in the depths of the ocean, are under constant debate.

Fossil evidence suggests that megalodons went extinct before about 2.6 million years ago, during a period of cooling and drying in many parts of the world. These changes may have been related to the closing of the seaways separating North from South America and Eurasia from Africa.

Mar 11, 2025 · Not only did the movie depict the long-extinct megalodon surviving to modern times, but the 75-foot-long (23-meter-long) Hollywood version of the predator seemed way too big. Exactly how large...

4 days ago · megalodon, (Carcharocles megalodon), member of an extinct species of megatooth shark (Otodontidae) that is considered to be the largest shark, as well as the largest fish, that ever lived. Fossils attributed to megalodon have been found dating from the early Miocene Epoch (which began 23.03 million years ago) to the end of the Pliocene Epoch (2 ...

May 27, 2024 · How Did the Megalodon Become Extinct? Paleontologists believe that the extinction of the megalodon shark was closely tied to significant climatic shifts that occurred millions of years ago. As ocean temperatures began to drop and sea levels changed, Earth's climate underwent profound alterations.

Mar 16, 2025 · Why did the megalodon shark go extinct? Video overview of the possible causes of the megalodon's extinction. (more)

Mar 1, 2023 · The megalodon, which went extinct millions of years ago, was the largest shark ever to prowl the oceans and one of the largest fish on record.

Jan 16, 2024 · The mighty megalodon keeps its crown as one of the largest sharks to have ever lived. It was an apex predator of prehistory, reigning the seas and raining teeth on ocean floors, until its ultimate extinction around a couple million years ago.