Giant Megalodon Shark Teeth May Have Inspired Mayan Monster Myths

Giant fossilized teeth from extinct megalodon sharks may have inspired portrayals of a primordial sea monster in Mesoamerican creation myths, according to a new study of the concepts of sharks in ancient Mayan society. The study looked at how the Maya combined a practical, prescientific knowledge of sharks with their traditional understanding of the world around them as the creation of gods and monsters. In the research paper, titled "Sharks in the Jungle: real and imagined sea monsters of the M