A nine-year-old girl found a rare fossil&nbsp;at a Maryland beach on Christmas Day that experts describes as a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of find". Molly Sampson visited the Calvert Beach and told her mother she was "looking for a Meg".

She waded in knee-deep waters and to her luck found exactly what she was looking for: a tooth belonging to Otodus megalodon shark species, which is now extinct. It was five inches long, her mother Alicia Sampson wrote on Facebook, informing about the prized find.&nbsp;

The megalodon, an ancient Greek term for "big tooth", went extinct a whopping 3.5 million years ago. During its time, it used to live in seas across the world.

At more than 66 feet (20m) long, the species was the biggest shark in the world. It was also one of the largest fish ever to live.

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Meg's mother wrote on Facebook that her daughters, Molly and Natalie, had expressed the desire to "go sharks tooth hunting like professionals". The two even asked for insulated chest waders as a Christmas present.

On Christmas morning, both of them went to the shores of nearby Calvert Cliffs with their father, she told CBS News.

"She told me she was wading in knee deep water when she saw it and dove in to get it," her mother said. "She said she got her arms all wet, but it was so worth it."

Molly is no stranger&nbsp;to such discovering. She has found over 400 much smaller teeth till date, but she had never found such a large tooth. In fact, her father also used to hunt fossils in the area as a kid.

"She has always wanted to find a 'Meg', but for whatever reason, she spoke it into existence on Christmas morning," her mother told CBS.

The paleontology department at the Calvert Marine Museum confirmed the shark's identity and congratulated the "future paleontologist" on Facebook.

"People should not get the impression that teeth like this one are common along Calvert Cliffs," Stephen Godfrey, the museum's curator of paleontology, said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A nine-year-old girl found a rare fossil at a Maryland beach on Christmas Day that experts describes as a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of find". Molly Sampson visited the Calvert Beach and told her mother she was "looking for a Meg".

A nine-year-old girl found a rare fossil at a Maryland beach on Christmas Day that experts describes as a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of find". Molly Sampson visited the Calvert Beach and told her mother she was "looking for a Meg". She waded in knee-deep waters and to her luck found exactly what she was looking for: a tooth belonging to Otodus megalodon shark species, which is now extinct. It was five inches long, her mother Alicia Sampson wrote on Facebook, informing about the prized find. The megalodon, an ancient Greek term for "big tooth", went extinct a whopping 3.5 million years ago. During its time, it used to live in seas across the world. At more than 66 feet (20m) long, the species was the biggest shark in the world. It was also one of the largest fish ever to live. Also Read | Super rare ‘walking shark’ discovered in Papua New Guinea, scientists baffled Meg's mother wrote on Facebook that her daughters, Molly and Natalie, had expressed the desire to "go sharks tooth hunting like professionals". The two even asked for insulated chest waders as a Christmas present. On Christmas morning, both of them went to the shores of nearby Calvert Cliffs with their father, she told CBS News. "She told me she was wading in knee deep water when she saw it and dove in to get it," her mother said. "She said she got her arms all wet, but it was so worth it." Molly is no stranger to such discovering. She has found over 400 much smaller teeth till date, but she had never found such a large tooth. In fact, her father also used to hunt fossils in the area as a kid. "She has always wanted to find a 'Meg', but for whatever reason, she spoke it into existence on Christmas morning," her mother told CBS. The paleontology department at the Calvert Marine Museum confirmed the shark's identity and congratulated the "future paleontologist" on Facebook. "People should not get the impression that teeth like this one are common along Calvert Cliffs," Stephen Godfrey, the museum's curator of paleontology, said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nine-year-old girl 'looking for a Meg' finds megalodon shark tooth on Maryland beach

New research published in the journal Science Advances suggests that the extinct Otodus megalodon shark could eat up giant sharks like orca (or killer whales) in just five bites.&nbsp;

The study, published on Wednesday (August 17), revealed that experts used technology to reconstruct the entire body of the extinct animal which helped them to understand and analyse estimations of biological traits from the resulting geometry.

To conduct the study, researchers used fossil evidence to create a 3D model of the megalodon and find evidence about its life and then further investigate the findings.&nbsp;

Megalodon is one of the biggest predatory fish of all time and the meaning of megalodon is "big tooth". It is an extinct species of mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago.&nbsp;

Megalodon is a close relative of the great white shark and was formerly thought to be a member of the family Lamnidae.

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After analysing the specifications, the study revealed that the megalodon was bigger than a school bus, around 16 metres from nose to tail, which is about two to three times the size of today's great white shark.&nbsp;

The study also revealed that due to the gaping jaw, the megalodon could feed on other big creatures. The researchers also claimed that once it filled its massive stomach, it could roam the oceans for months at a time.&nbsp;

When it comes to speed, the megalodon was quite fast. It is said that its average cruising speed was faster than sharks today. The researchers also calculated that it could have migrated across multiple oceans with ease.

Co-author John Hutchinson, who studies the evolution of animal movement at England's Royal Veterinary College, said, "It would be a superpredator just dominating its ecosystem. There is nothing really matching it."

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The study author Catalina Pimiento, who is a paleobiologist at the University of Zurich and Swansea University in Wales, said that it's been tough for scientists to get a clear picture of the megalodon.&nbsp;

Pimiento further revealed that the skeleton is made of soft cartilage that apparently doesn't fossilize well. It is said that the scientists used what few fossils are available, including a rare collection of vertebrae that's been at a Belgium museum since the 1860s.

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New research published in the journal Science Advances suggests that the extinct Otodus megalodon shark could eat up giant sharks like orca (or killer whales) in just five bites.

New research published in the journal Science Advances suggests that the extinct Otodus megalodon shark could eat up giant sharks like orca (or killer whales) in just five bites. The study, published on Wednesday (August 17), revealed that experts used technology to reconstruct the entire body of the extinct animal which helped them to understand and analyse estimations of biological traits from the resulting geometry. To conduct the study, researchers used fossil evidence to create a 3D model of the megalodon and find evidence about its life and then further investigate the findings. Megalodon is one of the biggest predatory fish of all time and the meaning of megalodon is "big tooth". It is an extinct species of mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago. Megalodon is a close relative of the great white shark and was formerly thought to be a member of the family Lamnidae. ALSO READ | 'The Calvine Photo': A myth or 'world's clearest' UFO photo that it released after 30 years? After analysing the specifications, the study revealed that the megalodon was bigger than a school bus, around 16 metres from nose to tail, which is about two to three times the size of today's great white shark. The study also revealed that due to the gaping jaw, the megalodon could feed on other big creatures. The researchers also claimed that once it filled its massive stomach, it could roam the oceans for months at a time. When it comes to speed, the megalodon was quite fast. It is said that its average cruising speed was faster than sharks today. The researchers also calculated that it could have migrated across multiple oceans with ease. Co-author John Hutchinson, who studies the evolution of animal movement at England's Royal Veterinary College, said, "It would be a superpredator just dominating its ecosystem. There is nothing really matching it." ALSO READ | Scientists to fish a meteorite from the depths of Pacific Ocean using giant magnets The study author Catalina Pimiento, who is a paleobiologist at the University of Zurich and Swansea University in Wales, said that it's been tough for scientists to get a clear picture of the megalodon. Pimiento further revealed that the skeleton is made of soft cartilage that apparently doesn't fossilize well. It is said that the scientists used what few fossils are available, including a rare collection of vertebrae that's been at a Belgium museum since the 1860s. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Research suggests now-extinct megalodon shark could devour killer whale in just five bites

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