Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory Science Newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advances and more.

CNN
–

What scientists understand about the greedy feeding habits of the giant megalodons could rise for some modification.

Prehistoric predators, which were extinct about 3.6 million years ago, don’t hunt only large marine mammals like whales as researchers have widely considered, new research is discovering. Instead, fossilized tooth minerals reveal that megalodon could have been an opportunistic feeder to meet the surprising 100,000 calories per day requirement.

“If available, they would probably have taken large prey items, but if not available they were flexible enough to eat small animals to meet dietary requirements,” said Jeremy McCormack, an earth scientist at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany.

The study was published in the Journal Earth and Planetary Science Letter on Monday, and also shows regional differences in the feeding habits of giant sharks. The finding suggests that megalodons pursue what was in local waters, greeting other top predators and smaller prey.

“They weren’t focused on any particular prey species, but they must have fed a lot of different species into the entire food web,” McCormack said. “It’s certainly a fierce apex predator, and while perhaps no one else would prey on adult megalodons, it’s clear that they could potentially feed almost everything else they swam themselves.”

Megalodon sent prey with ferocious bites and deadly serrated teeth. The super predator’s teeth, rich in the fossil record, were used by McCormack and his colleagues to conduct geochemical analyses, unlocking fresh clues that could challenge Megalodon’s role as the sole king of the ancient sea.

It is not the first time that research has challenged previous knowledge of giant sea creatures. In fact, since no complete fossils have been found, many questions remain unanswered about the name of the scientific species meaning “giant teeth.” The lack of hard evidence is not formed very well, as it is due to the fact that the fish’s skeleton is made of soft cartilage rather than bone.

Recent studies have found, for example, animals are warm-blooded than other sharks, with continued debate about their size and shape. The scientists who created the 3D reconstruction suggested that in 2022 the Megalodon was about three times the length of the great white shark, about 52 feet (16 meters). However, a survey in March assumed that Mega Shark was actually much larger, with 2018 blockbuster The Meg being up to 80 feet (24 meters) long, longer than the fictional version.

According to McCormack, determining what you eat based on fossil evidence poses a challenge for megalodon feeding habits. “We know they fed big marine mammals from teeth biting marks,” he said. “Of course, you can see bite marks of marine mammal bones, but sharks don’t have bones so they can’t see them when feeding other sharks. So there’s already a bias in the fossil record of this species.”

To gather more about Megalodon’s prey selection, McCormack and his co-authors saw the fossilized teeth of giant sharks and compared them to the teeth of other animals that lived at the same time, as well as other predators such as modern sharks and dolphins. Researchers used specimens from the museum collection and samples of animal corpses on the beach.

Specifically, the research team conducted a lab analysis of zinc, a mineral that is only acquired through food.

Zinc is essential for living organisms and plays an important role in dental development. The proportion of heavy zinc isotopes in shark teeth enamel holds a record of the type of animal they ate.

Different types of zinc, or isotopes, are absorbed when eaten by fish and other animals, one of them – zinc 66, is stored in much less tooth enamel than zinc 64. The ratio of these zinc isotopes expands further away from the lowest level of the food chain. This means that other fish eaters have lower levels of zinc 66 compared to zinc 64, while those fish eaters have even fewer zinc 66 compared to zinc 64. A marker that helps you create sequences of food chains.

Researchers found that seabream, a fish that eats mussels and crustaceans, is at the bottom of a reconstructed chain, followed by a small shark. From the genus Carcharhinus, up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) in length; And an extinct tooth whale that rivals modern dolphins.

Furthermore, although a large shark, like Galeoco Adunkas, resembling modern tiger sharks, was further upwards, occupying the upper slots, its zinc ratio was not so different to suggest a large gap with lower animals. “Based on our new results, we can see that it is clear that it can feed the top, but it was flexible enough to feed even at low (the level of the food chain),” McCormack said.

Furthermore, researchers found that megalodons are not alone at the top of the food chain, but instead share spots with other “opportunistic ultra-otolaryngology” such as the nearby relative otodus chubutensis, the lesser known Alaroseratus cuspidatus, another giant fish-eating shark.

That revelation challenges the assumption that Megalodon is the exclusive ruler of the ocean, drawing comparisons with another big opportunistic feeder, the Great White Shark. According to paleontologist Shimizujima Kenshu Island, one of the co-authors of the latest research, the finding also reinforces the idea that the rise of the earth could be a factor in the extinction of megalodon.

“It is hypothesized that one of the contributing factors for the end-of-megalodon mise is the rise of the Great White shark, which transitions to marine mammals as they eat fish when they are young and eat their diets bigger.”

“Our new research showing the ‘diet overlap’ between great white sharks and megalodons reinforces the idea that the evolution of the great, great, great sharks, which is smaller, more agile and manipulated, can actually exterminate (drifted) megalodons. ”

The new study will allow scientists to replicate snapshots of marine food networks that existed around 20 million years ago, according to Jack Cooper, a UK-based paleontologist and a megalodon expert who was not involved in the study.

“The general photo of the Megalodon was of a giant shark munching a whale,” Cooper said in an email. “This study adds a new dimension that Megalodon probably had a wide range of prey. Essentially, it probably ate what it wanted, not just whales.”

Another interesting find he added is that the diet of megalodons has probably changed slightly between different populations, which are observed in today’s great white sharks. “This makes sense and it’s something that we probably would have hoped for as Megalodons live all over the world and not all of their prey did. But it’s great to have specific data to support this hypothesis,” Cooper said.

The study adds a lot of evidence that shapes beliefs in general about megalodon and its relatives, said Alberto Coraletta, a researcher in the Faculty of Earth Sciences at the University of Pisa, Italy, who is not involved in the study.

“These have now come to abandon the traditional reconstruction of megatooth sharks as “swelled” versions of modern white sharks. I know that megalodons are something else in terms of size, shape, ancestry and biology,” Korareta said in an email.

“The Miocene ecosystem in question did not work in a fundamentally different way compared to modern counterparts.

“That being said, it is still useful to recognize that MEG’s understanding is essentially limited to its ubiquitous teeth, several vertebrae, and a small number of scales. What you’d like to see coming out of “the abandonment of the mist of time” is the perfect MEG skeleton.

Editor’s Note: Deborah Farmer’s Chris is a child development specialist and author of Awe: How amazing science helps our children flourish. Find her Parenthood365.

My teenage daughter recently convinced me to take her to an art exhibition in Boston. Traffic was a predictable nightmare, and I had to travel over an hour to travel 15 miles and park almost a mile away. But when your teenager wants to do something with you, you do it.

The stress melted as I saw my daughter’s face brightening up and wandered around the gallery, celebrating the art-inspired flower display.

When we left the museum, we talked about the benefits of the crowd. People were out of their way to see the beautiful art in the midst of a world torn by war, political divisions, and the very real worries they have made time for us to adore.

Over the past four years, I have been studying how adoration can support our children while writing my first book for adults.

What my daughter and I have experienced is an emotional superfood. Wonder supports our mental, physical and emotional well-being, according to research centers focusing on psychology, sociology and neuroscience.

A respect encourages us to be kind and humble. It helps to keep mental chatter quiet, raise curiosity and feel connected to others. It has even been discovered to reduce biomarkers of stress and inflammation.

“Don’t underestimate the power of goosebumps,” says Dutcher Keltner, a well-known professor of psychology at Berkeley, who likes to say, in adorable way.

It’s easy to talk about young children. How does a 3 year old eye grow when you find Robin’s nest? But I’m even more interested in how this sentiment can support today’s teenagers.

We know that too many teens are stressed, overprogrammed, lonely, and saturated with screening. But they also have a time when they have increased their rapid brain development and emotional sensitivity.

Below are three ways to help teens take advantage of this protective emotion:

Young teens are in the pain of identity formation. Any activity that makes them happy in fifth grade may be dumped through the window by eighth grade. Over the course of two years, my oldest child had scouted, horse riding and dropped piano. After the experiment, she found her way to community theater, art and local track clubs.

I signed up for Girl Scouts and Piano years ago, and puberty is when they figure out which hat they best suit. Despite it being normal and necessary, this period of rapid change can be confusing for both parents and teens. I was teaching middle school and I often heard parents lament that they “look little awareness of their children anymore.”

Why not replace that lament with “radical curiosity”? Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist at Harvard University, introduced the phrase as a mindful parenting practice. Look at your child and ask yourself, “What is this child’s one thing you’ve never noticed before?” It can do anything, he told me – even in the new way they part their hair. Radical curiosity relaxes in line with what brings them wonder, especially when it appears to be changing monthly.

What lights them up this month? Once you notice their curiosity, you can cultivate it. When you’re fascinated by the “Lord of the Rings” books and movies, you’ll be trying out the Dungeon and Dragons Club. If your face brightens when working with small children or animals, you probably have a volunteer opportunity that can help you find them.

Note that your teens say “Amazing” – either give them goosebumps or expand their minds in a beautiful way. It’s a way to learn more about who they are now and who they will become. When we pay attention to the adoration of our children, we invite them to examine their experiences and continue their exploration.

The biggest part of admiration is how ordinary and accessible it is. No expensive equipment or flashy family vacation required. In fact, Keltner describes his adoration as “everyday emotions” that can be accessed during morning walks or cheering on a home team.

Over the past 20 years, researchers have looked into which types of experiences evoke awe. People around the world reported feeling this feeling while exploring nature, enjoying art and music, and pondering big ideas. Perhaps surprisingly, the most common source of everyday wonders came from observing that other people are kind and brave. We are inspired by the goodness of man.

Another source of we that resonates with teenagers in particular is collective effervescentness. It is a feeling that comes from working with others towards a common goal. You can feel like you’re cheering in the crowd, handing out soccer balls to your teammates during a big game, or sing with the choir. For our children, it’s the feeling that they belong to something bigger than us.

Knowing these adoration is a useful spiritual framework for parents and teens and can help you find meaningful experiences. Where can I see the art of the community? Do my kids bring them now? How can you connect more with the local community? Which clubs and sports might be worth trying? What neighbors need our help? What are the “good news” moments we can share with each other? How can I get outside for a few minutes this weekend?

Teens are keen anthropologists of human behavior. If we want them to feel more of this amazing human emotion, we must become people who are respectful and adore. That doesn’t mean you need to approach this in a canned way. No teens don’t want to listen to mom’s daily “Good News Minute.” Instead, look for a way to genuinely share the little moments of wonder that you stumble.

This is what worked for me.

Since jumping into the study of adorableness, I have begun following more nature photographers and artists on social media. The more I choose to follow these types of accounts, the more the app’s algorithm works in my favor. The tips of the make-up have been replaced by a ridiculously beautiful bird. Inspired by these photos, I began practicing calling it “beautiful every day.” I’m looking for one beautiful thing – my walk flowers, songs and stories, photos and quotes, etc. – and I text it to my dear friend who lives 2000 miles away. Sharing amplified my strange feelings and helped me feel connected over the course of miles

A few months after this practice I thought, “Why not send these to your teens as well?”

Now I often send my daughters daily photos, quotes, stories, songs, and text them to goosebump induction reels. What do you guess? She began sending me art, photos, adorable videos of ducks and baby sheep. This is a beautiful offset to other headlines and images that cross my screen, reminding me of the everyday beauty that I can find in this nasty world.

I underestimated how valuable this medium of communication is to our parent-child relationship. These daily windows make each of us wonder. Screen time is an endless dilemma of parenting. As Craig Anderson, a psychologist and business professor at HEC Paris, told me, most of the apps we use are not designed to make us adore. They don’t prioritize our happiness either, he said.

Instead, “They are designed to keep us in front of the app.” If you want to feel the benefits of “noticing things like flowers blooming or something like light filtering through the leaves,” you say, “Your attention cannot be wrapped in a phone.”

What I add is that if we can intentionally use screen time as a tool to share beauty with teens and others we love, then perhaps we can change our internal algorithms and bend it towards awe.

Inspired by the weekly roundups on living well, which have become simple. Sign up for CNN Life but a better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your happiness.