Megalodon sharks have been extinct for more than a million years. At least, that's the current scientific belief. But could they still be out there? Discovery Channel kicked off Shark Week with a special looking into the beasts that can grow up to 67 feet in length. "Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives" chronicled a group of researchers hoping to tag the legendary beast.
The researchers submerged themselves in a shark cage in hopes of seeing the massive shark. "I saw a big shadow behind me, and the cage started shaking like crazy. So, I aimed the spear-gun and shot," said one of the researchers. "Couldn’t see anything. It was pitch black. And next thing after that, the cage gets hit. And I mean, gets slammed. We are upside down. We are cartwheeling through the water.”
While they didn't get a good look at the creature, they were able to tag it. Whatever it was, it dove down 6,500 feet into the ocean, which is deeper than any known shark. That said, was any of it real? Aida Ekberg, a writer for Gather, seemed certain that it was as fake as Animal Planet's "Mermaids: The Body Found" special. Still, Examiner writer Norman Byrd noted that the creature could be real. After all, it was only a decade ago that researchers first saw the giant squid, which was thought to be fake.
Granted, there was more evidence of giant squids than megalodon sharks. Only a fossil of the giant shark exists. True or not, it was certainly an exciting way for Discovery to kick off Shark Week 2013!
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