9 Year Old Discovered An Extremely
Beyond Shells and Driftwood
Most beachcombers find shells or sea glass—but some search for fossils instead.
Ancient shark teeth, especially from the Megalodon, sometimes wash ashore, offering a thrilling twist to a day at the beach.
The Hunt for Shark Teeth
Shark teeth, often finger-sized, are common on public beaches.
“Preserved shark teeth could make fossil hunting easy and inexpensive,” especially in places like Calvert Beach, Maryland.
Molly’s Rare Find
On Christmas Day 2022, 9-year-old Molly Sampson discovered a giant Megalodon tooth in the Chesapeake Bay.
“She was beyond happy,” her mom, Alicia Sampson, told USA TODAY.
“She had been searching for shark’s teeth since she was a little girl.”
A Tooth for Science
Instead of keeping it, Molly donated the tooth to the Calvert Marine Museum.
“I thought I was in a dream,” Alicia said. Experts estimate the fossil is at least 15 million years old.
