A girl found a huge tooth of a prehistoric monster on the beach (4 photos + 1 video)
A Florida woman has discovered a tooth from a prehistoric shark that ruled the ocean millions of years ago on the beach. The find has quickly become a viral sensation. 
The perfectly preserved tooth likely belonged to a megalodon, one of the most fearsome marine predators in the history of the Earth.
Nicole Mercury, 26, was walking along the west coast of Florida when she noticed a triangular object half-buried in the sand. She captured the moment she pulled the tooth out of the sand on video and posted it on social media. The footage has collected more than 929,000 likes.
In the video, the American woman says: "This is impossible, I just found... Oh my God!" 
The megalodon's teeth can reach 18 cm in length and are shaped like serrated knives. Specimens of this size are rare, especially in their entirety.
The predator, which existed in the Miocene and Pliocene, reached 30 m in length and had a bite force strong enough to crush a car.
Mercury's discovery has revived the interest in prehistoric sea creatures and sparked debate about how many more fossils may be lurking beneath the Florida sands.
The ancient tooth is recognizable by its jagged edges, triangular shape, and dark gray or black color.
"It had a distinctive triangular shape with jagged edges," the girl said. "I'd seen other people find megalodon teeth in Florida before, so I knew right away what it was."
Unlike bones, teeth made of hard enamel stand the test of time. These fossils often surface after storms, dredging, or erosion.
Mercury did not specify which beach she found the tooth on, only saying it was on the west coast of Florida. However, she added that finding such a rare item is not uncommon.
"Sometimes it's important to know where not to look. And sometimes luck decides everything," the fossil hunter said.
Over the years, Nicole has collected more than 100 shark teeth. Her room is now filled with collections of teeth, shells, and fossils. It's a visual representation of a hobby that began as a child walking on the beach with her father.
Her favorite piece remains the first complete megalodon tooth, found in 2024.
"This is a baby megalodon. It's not as big as the others, but it will always be my favorite."
While not a trained paleontologist, she has spent years learning from online communities and forums. She joined groups where collectors share tips on how to tell real fossils from shell fragments or rocks.
"Finding these pieces of history just lying in the sand is amazing," Mercury admitted. "It's like holding time in your hands."
