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Kari: WELCOME TO THE BEAUTIFUL PACIFIC OCEAN
IN VENTURA, CALIFORNIA.
RIGHT HERE, UNDER WRAPS, IS THE BIGGEST, BADDEST,
MOST VICIOUS PREDATOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD...
A PREHISTORIC SHARK CALLED MEGALODON...
OR AT LEAST A FULL-SIZE, MODERN-DAY,
MECHANICAL VERSION OF ONE.
HI. I'M KARI BYRON.
I'M GRANT IMAHARA.
AND I'M TORY BELLECI. WE'RE FROM "MYTHBUSTERS."
NOW, THIS 52-FOOT SHARK
LAST ROAMED THESE PARTS A COUPLE MILLION YEARS AGO.
SO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE THIS SHARK HAS A MEAN BITE.
MAKE NO MISTAKE -- THIS GUY IS A KILLER.
Narrator: IT LEFT A MIOCENE SEA AWASH IN BLOOD.
IT'S LIKE A CRIME SCENE. IT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED.
A 50-TON KILLER --
THE BIGGEST SHARK THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN.
Ciampaglio: SMALL WHALE -- HEAD, TAIL GONE. BITTEN IN HALF.
BIG WHALE -- 60 SECONDS LATER, IT'S BLED TO DEATH.
MEGALODON ATE IT.
Narrator: BUT THIS KILLER VANISHED
AND ALMOST ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT HE EVER EXISTED
VANISHED WITH HIM.
Sharits: NO WAY!
[ COMPUTER BEEPS ]
Narrator: NOW, 15 MILLION YEARS LATER,
THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHARK IS RESURRECTED.
I GET TO FINALLY BUILD THIS, AND IT'S GONNA BE INSANE.
Narrator: THE ULTIMATE JAWS...
I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 8'5" WIDE BY ABOUT 6' HIGH.
Narrator: ...THE ULTIMATE EXPERIMENT...
WOW. YOU GUYS ARE AMBITIOUS!
Narrator: ...THE ULTIMATE KILLER.
T-REX WOULDN'T HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST THIS THING.
GO. WHOA!
Narrator: NOW, GET READY TO MEET SHARKZILLA.
Tory: IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!
Grant: YOU KNOW WHAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN?
I THINK WE HAVE A MURDERER HERE.
[ CROWD CHANTING "SHARK, SHARK!" ]
Narrator: OUR OCEANS ARE FILLED WITH WONDERS.
WHERE THAT SEA MEETS OUR SHORES, A KIND OF TRUCE EXISTS...
...EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO SHARKS.
WHAT SCARES US ABOUT THEM
IS THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHEN THEY ARE NOT WELCOME.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW JUST HOW LUCKY WE ARE.
WE JUST MISSED OUT ON BECOMING A PREY ITEM
FOR A SHARK SO BIG, SO FEROCIOUS, SO DEADLY,
IT SIMPLY DEFIES BELIEF.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING, SCREAMING ]
WELL, BELIEVE...
...FOR WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS CREATURE BACK TO LIFE.
AND HE IS HUNGRY --
VERY HUNGRY.
IT ALL BEGINS HERE.
100 MILES INLAND FROM CALIFORNIA'S CURRENT COASTLINE,
A LANDSCAPE OF ROLLING HILLS
SHELTERS THE DENSEST CONCENTRATION
OF MIOCENE MARINE FOSSILS IN THE WORLD.
THIS BONE BED WAS THE HUNTING GROUND OF MEGALODON,
THE MOST FEARSOME CREATURE EVER TO HAUNT THE OCEANS.
TODAY, THIS FORMATION IS COMMONLY KNOWN
AS SHARKTOOTH HILL.
15 MILLION YEARS AGO, THIS PLACE WAS A SHALLOW MARINE SEA --
MAYBE 100 TO 200 FEET DEEP -- FULL OF ALL KINDS OF LIFE,
PARTICULARLY VERTEBRATE LIFE.
SHARKS, MARINE MAMMALS, AND FISH -- BIRDS OVERHEAD --
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT LIKE THE CHESAPEAKE BAY IS TODAY,
BUT WITH MUCH, MUCH LARGER TYPES OF PREY AND PREDATOR.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRULY AN AMAZING SIGHT TO SEE.
Narrator: MEGALODON, LITERALLY TRANSLATED, MEANS "BIG TOOTH."
AND THESE 7-INCH TEETH
ARE ALMOST ALL THAT REMAIN OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY CREATURE.
NO SKELETONS HAVE EVER BEEN FOUND.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT MEGALODON RULED THE SEAS
FOR SOME 25 MILLION YEARS,
GOING EXTINCT JUST UNDER 2 MILLION YEARS AGO.
WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE, HOW BIG THEY WERE,
HOW THEY LIVED, HOW THEY DIED
IS A MYSTERY SCIENCE IS ONLY BEGINNING TO CRACK.
Ciampaglio: MEGALODON WAS PROBABLY THE APEX PREDATOR OF ALL TIME.
PEOPLE THINK T-REX OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S DWARFED BY MEGALODON.
MEGALODON'S HUGE -- MAYBE EVEN 70 FEET LONG.
T-REX WOULDN'T HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST THIS THING.
T-REX'S HEAD WOULD FIT IN THIS GUY'S MOUTH.
Narrator: BUT HOW BIG WAS THAT MOUTH?
HOW LARGE A BITE COULD IT TAKE?
UNLIKE THE T-REX, WHICH LEFT MANY BONES BEHIND,
THE SKELETON OF A MEGALODON, LIKE ALL SHARKS,
WAS MADE OF CARTILAGE.
AND CARTILAGE RARELY FOSSILIZES.
ALL WE HAVE LEFT OF THIS ENORMOUS PREDATOR
ARE A FEW SAUCER-SIZED VERTEBRAE AND TEETH.
BUT THESE TEETH MIGHT BE ENOUGH.
BY STARTING WITH JUST ONE, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE
TO REVERSE ENGINEER A NIGHTMARE --
A NIGHTMARE WE CALL...
SHARKZILLA.
IT ALL BEGINS IN THIS ORDINARY,
SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, SUBURBAN HOME.
DID WE SAY ORDINARY?
LOOK CLOSER.
THIS HOME IS A SHRINE TO THE PREHISTORIC.
THE OWNERS OF THIS MINI MUSEUM
PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STORY.
LISA AND SEAN TOHILL ARE AMATEUR FOSSIL HUNTERS
WITH A VERY PROFESSIONAL PASSION FOR THEIR WORK
AND THE SHARKTOOTH HILL AREA FOSSIL FIELD.
Sean: THE PROPERTY IS LIKE A TIME HOLE.
Lisa: IT'S LIKE GOING BACK IN HISTORY,
AND IT'S EXCITING TO FIND THESE FOSSILS AND THEIR STORIES.
YOU'RE PART OF THE STORY OF SHARKTOOTH HILL.
THE TOHILLS CURRENTLY OWN ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE SITES
IN THE FORMATION -- AN AREA ALSO KNOWN AS WHALE QUARRY.
RECENTLY, THEY UNCOVERED AN EXTRAORDINARY FOSSIL --
A 15-MILLION-YEAR-OLD MIOCENE WHALE
THAT APPEARED TO HAVE HAD ITS HEAD SHEARED RIGHT OFF.
ACTUALLY, HE WAS THE ONE THAT FIRST FOUND THE WHALE,
BUT HE FOUND ONE VERTEBRAE, ANOTHER ONE --
AND THEN I STOP. THAT'S WHEN I CALL YOU OVER.
SO I SAT DOWN AND I, YOU KNOW, STARTED DIGGING,
AND I UNCOVERED THIS WHALE SKELETON
WHICH WAS ARTICULATED SO ALL THE BONES WERE IN LINE.
AND THEN IT DIDN'T HAVE A SKULL, SO...
...THE HEAD WAS MISSING.
AND SO IT WAS LIKE, "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SKULL?"
WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE FOR IT. WE COULDN'T FIND IT.
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BITTEN OFF THE HEAD OF A WHALE?
THE TOHILLS BELIEVE ONLY ONE THING -- A MEGALODON.
IS THIS FOSSIL EVIDENCE OF A MIOCENE *** MYSTERY?
DOES THE EVIDENCE EVEN FIT THE CRIME?
I THINK THE MEGALODON CAME FROM THE BOTTOM.
THE WHALE WAS THERE, AND IT JUST CAME UP WITH SUCH FORCE.
THAT'S POSSIBLE, TOO.
SO THE POWER OF THAT COMING UP COULD DEFINITELY BITE IT,
TAKE ITS HEAD OFF, AND THEN TWIST THE REST OF IT.
THIS FOSSIL CRIME SCENE IS A TIME PORTAL INTO THE PAST.
NOT ONLY MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO REVERSE ENGINEER A MEGALODON,
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CREATE ONE VERY SPECIFIC CREATURE --
THE MONSTER THAT SOMEHOW BIT THROUGH THE TOHILLS' WHALE.
OUR QUEST BEGAN WHEN DR. CHUCK CIAMPAGLIO
JOURNEYED TO SHARKTOOTH HILL TO EVALUATE THIS FOSSIL.
CIAMPAGLIO HAS MADE ANCIENT SHARKS HIS LIFE'S WORK,
AND THE PROSPECT OF HELPING US BUILD A MEGALODON
HAS CAPTURED HIS IMAGINATION.
I THINK THE IDEA OF BUILDING AN EXTINCT SHARK --
A REPLICA OF MEGALODON -- IS JUST AWESOME, OKAY?
THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS SHARK COULD DO,
WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, HOW IT FUNCTIONED,
AND WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING A WORKING MODEL TO SCALE,
THOSE QUESTIONS CAN'T BE ADDRESSED PROPERLY.
Narrator: JOINING CHUCK IS MECHANICAL DESIGNER JIM SHARITS.
JIM IS CHARGED WITH TURNING SCIENTIFIC THEORY
INTO ENGINEERING BLUEPRINTS THAT WILL GIVE BIRTH TO SHARKZILLA.
PRETTY COOL.
Sharits: I'M MEETING CHUCK HERE TODAY FOR A MUTUAL REASON,
AND I'M HOPING HE CAN, YOU KNOW, HELP ME VISUALIZE AND UNDERSTAND
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE CREATURES
SO I CAN BUILD THE MOST ACCURATE REPLICA
OF WHAT MEGALODON COULD HAVE BEEN.
Narrator: BUT FIRST,
JIM AND CHUCK NEED TO INSPECT THE TOHILLS' WHALE FOSSIL.
YEAH, HE FOUND THE FIRST TWO VERTEBRA,
WHICH IS PART OF THE BACKBONE.
AND THEN, AFTER THAT, I TOLD HIM, "OKAY. TIME TO LEAVE."
Sean: SHE KICKED ME OUT OF THE HOLE. [ CHUCKLES ]
AND THEN I WENT IN AND I STARTED EXCAVATING ALL THE WAY DOWN,
AND IT JUST KEPT GOING AND GOING.
Sharits: WOW. THIS IS ALMOST ALL COMPLETE, HUH?
RIGHT, AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE VERTEBRAE,
JUST ALL THE WAY DOWN.
THERE'S EVEN TOOTH FRAGMENTS IN THIS, TOO.
YEAH. YEAH.
ALSO, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AS YOU GO DOWN HERE,
WE'RE STILL IN THE BODY VERTEBRAE, THE THORACIC, HERE,
I THINK, AND SO THIS THING'S PROBABLY GOING DOWN ANOTHER,
WHAT, YOU THINK ABOUT 10 FEET OR SO?
SO IT'S A GOOD SIZE.
SO WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT ABOUT --
CONSERVATIVELY -- 25 FOOT OR MORE.
YEAH. BIG, BIG WHALE.
Narrator: CHUCK BRINGS HIS PALEONTOLOGICAL EXPERTISE TO OUR CRIME SCENE.
Ciampaglio: IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN RAMMED
OR SOME KIND OF INJURY CAUSED THE BACKBONE
TO ACTUALLY TWIST AT A 90-DEGREE ANGLE,
AND THEN ANOTHER PORTION OF IT DISPLAYED AT ANOTHER ANGLE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WAS DONE BY CURRENTS
BECAUSE I THINK THE REST OF THE SKELETON
WOULD HAVE BEEN DISARTICULATED.
AND AT THE END WHERE THE HEAD IS,
THE HEAD IS MISSING, AND, YEAH, IT COULD BE THAT THE HEAD,
YOU KNOW, ROTTED AND FELL OFF,
BUT I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND CLOSE BY.
I THINK THAT PART OF THE INJURY
WAS, YOU KNOW, CAUSED BY A MEGALODON.
AND I THINK IF WE WOULD GO THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL,
WE MIGHT SEE SOME OF THE SCRATCH MARKS
FROM WHERE IT CRUSHED IT.
THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN BEHEADED.
Sharits: WELL, THE HEAD HAD BEEN BITTEN OFF,
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST POINT WHERE I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
"WE'VE GOT THIS MEGALODON
"THAT PROBABLY BIT THE HEAD OFF OF THIS WHALE.
"WHAT KIND OF POWER DOES THAT TAKE?
"YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT
THAT I'M GONNA HAVE TO BUILD TO REPRESENT THAT?"
I MEAN, THAT IS A HUGE BITE.
THE FORCE OF THAT TO BITE THAT HEAD OFF, THAT WOULD BE A BIG SHARK.
THAT WOULD BE A 55-FOOT SHARK, PROBABLY.
RIGHT UP MY ALLEY.
THE BIGGER, THE BETTER.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS,
LET'S FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS THING COULD HAVE BEEN.
LET'S BUILD IT. LET'S BUILD IT.
I'D LOVE TO SEE IT.
Narrator: EASIER SAID THAN DONE.
SEAN, LISA, COME HERE.
WE ARE ABOUT TO SOLVE THIS MIOCENE ***.
DO YOU WANT TO HAVE THE FIRST LOOK AT THE KILLER?
WOW. THAT IS ONE BIG SHARK.
IT SURE WAS. IT SURE WAS.
AND YOU'LL GET TO SEE IT SOON, TOO, SO STAY WITH US.
WELCOME BACK.
WE ARE ABOUT TO UNVEIL SHARKZILLA.
HE'S HIDING UNDER HERE.
NOW, HE IS A 52-FOOT-LONG, FULL-SCALE, MECHANICAL REPLICA
OF ONE OF THE MOST TERRIFYING PREHISTORIC SHARKS
THAT EVER LIVED.
Narrator: WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO RESURRECT A MEGALODON.
WE ARE TRYING TO RECONSTRUCT THE MEGALODON...
...CAPABLE OF BITING THROUGH A WHALE.
Lisa: YOU THINK ABOUT, "WHAT HAPPENED?"
IT HAS.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT WHALE?
IT'S LIKE A CRIME SCENE. IT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED.
SOLVING THAT MYSTERY IS CHALLENGING,
BUT WE DO KNOW ONE THING -- MEGALODON WAS BIG.
JUST HOW BIG?
THE GREAT WHITE IS TODAY'S POSTER BOY
FOR ENORMOUS KILLER SHARKS, BUT A GREAT WHITE LIKE THIS
WOULD BE DWARFED BY HIS MONSTROUS COUSIN.
AND WHEN THAT COUSIN GOT HUNGRY,
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT SWAM WOULD BECOME A PREY ITEM --
EVEN AN ENORMOUS WHALE.
AND ON CALIFORNIA'S SHARKTOOTH HILL,
THIS MIOCENE CRIME SCENE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
Sean: I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THE WHALE
GOT ITS HEAD BITTEN OFF BY THE BIG MEGALODON.
WE DID FIND SOME MEG TEETH RIGHT AROUND IT,
BUT WE COULD FIND SOME MORE ON THE OTHER SIDE,
AND WE CAN FIND SOME OF THE BONES
THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME MORE SCRAPE MARKS THAT WILL REALLY KIND OF TELL US.
SO, IT'S KIND OF FUN. WE'RE STILL INVESTIGATING IT.
Narrator: SEAN AND LISA TOHILL HAVE BEEN JOINED
BY ANCIENT SHARK EXPERT CHUCK CIAMPAGLIO
AND MECHANICAL DESIGNER JIM SHARITS.
THE TEAM HAVE UNCOVERED THEIR VICTIM --
A HEADLESS, 25-FOOT-LONG BALEEN WHALE.
NOW, THEY NEED EVIDENCE OF WHAT KILLED IT.
SO, THIS IS WHAT I WAS TELLING YOU BEFORE.
THIS IS HOW WE FIND THEM.
WE GOT TO GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BONE BED,
AND AS YOU SEE, THERE'S BONES HERE.
[ METAL SCRAPES ]
OH, GOD!
NO WAY. [ CHUCKLES ]
YES. IT'S A MEG.
Lisa: YEAH?
LISA, COME HERE, BABE.
YEAH, IT'S A MEG.
YOU'RE KIDDING.
OVER HERE, YOU GUYS. LOOK IT.
YEAH! LOOK AT THIS.
LOOK AT THAT. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD, SWEETIE.
GO AHEAD. LET HER TAKE IT OUT.
WHEN WE STARTED UNCOVERING THAT TOOTH,
YOU KNOW, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS,
BUT I SAW THE EXCITEMENT ON SEAN'S FACE
AND IT GOT ME PRETTY WORKED UP, TOO.
OH! LOOK AT THAT.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
IT'S ALL THERE.
HOLY SMOKES. IT JUST KEEPS GROWING.
LOOK AT THAT. LOOK AT THAT. ISN'T THAT AWESOME?
Narrator: THIS DISCOVERY NEEDS TO BE HANDLED WITH CARE.
NOT ONLY IS A PRISTINE MEGALODON TOOTH
WORTH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, IT'S ALSO A LETHAL WEAPON.
Ciampaglio: MOST MEGALODON TEETH THAT ARE FOUND,
IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN WORKED OUT OF THE SEDIMENT BY NATURE,
ARE SO SHARP, THEY'RE RAZOR-BLADE SHARP,
AND CAN LITERALLY PRODUCE A WOUND IF YOU MISHANDLE ONE
THAT WILL CAUSE YOU TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE STITCHES.
I KNOW. I KNOW YOU'RE EXCITED.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE PATIENT.
OKAY. GO AHEAD.
WELL, I-I -- THERE IT GOES.
POP IT. OH, YEAH. THERE IT GOES.
IT'S LOOSENING UP. YEAH.
THERE IT GOES.
OH, LOOK AT THAT.
OKAY. WHAT DO WE GOT? TURN HER OVER.
OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. LOOK! IT'S ALL THERE.
LOOK AT THAT.
LOOK AT THAT.
SO THAT IS SO NICE.
Ciampaglio: IT WAS TRULY AMAZING.
IT REALLY WAS, AND IT WAS A LARGE TOOTH, TOO.
AND, AS YOU COULD SEE, IT WAS SHARP,
AND IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED,
AND THE COLORS WERE SO BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING I'M GONNA REMEMBER FOR A LONG TIME.
CAN YOU TELL WHAT POSITION THIS TOOTH WAS?
HMM.
IT LOOKS LIKE AN ANTERIOR AND AN UPPER, I THINK.
WHEN I WAS HOLDING THAT TOOTH IN MY HAND [CHUCKLES]
I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT I HAD TO BUILD,
AND I FIGURED, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M GONNA NEED A BIGGER SHOP, BIGGER TOOLS,
BIGGER, YOU KNOW -- I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BEHEMOTH.
IT'S THE MONSTER SHARK.
Narrator: NOW THAT WE HAD THE FOSSIL JEWEL OF OUR TOOTH,
WE NEEDED OUR SETTING.
FOSSILS FOUND IN THE AREA OF SHARKTOOTH HILL
ARE STUDIED AND DISPLAYED AT BAKERSFIELD'S
BUENA VISTA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.
Lisa: WE HAVE FOUND THE ALLODESMUS,
YOU KNOW, WHICH IS A SEA LION.
WE FOUND WHALES.
WE FOUND MEGALODON TEETH.
JUST ALL KINDS OF MARINE MAMMALS.
Narrator: THESE FOSSILS REPRESENT A PICTURE MENU
OF MEGALODONS PREY ITEMS,
FROM THE ALLODESMUS SEA LION TO GIANT TURTLES --
EVEN MEGALODON'S PUNY COUSINS, THE GREAT WHITE SHARK --
ALL WERE NO MATCH FOR THE ENORMOUS JAWS OF A MEGALODON.
BUT HOW BIG WOULD JAWS HAVE TO BE TO CONTAIN TEETH THIS LARGE?
SINCE NO MEGALODON JAW HAS EVER BEEN FOUND,
JIM AND CHUCK HAVE TO BEGIN WITH ONE OF MEGALODON'S APPETIZERS --
THE GREAT WHITE SHARK.
THIS IS A MODEL I THINK WE CAN,
YOU KNOW, USE FOR YOUR MEGALODON,
EVEN THOUGH MEGALODON'S JAW IS GONNA DWARF THIS.
THIS IS SCALABLE.
GOOD. GOOD.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW
IS BASICALLY A TOOTH, RIGHT?
YEAH, THE TOOTH FROM SHARKTOOTH HILL,
BUT, YOU KNOW, KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS A 20 FOOTER,
AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE OVERALL LENGTH OF THE SHARK
FROM THE SIZE OF THE TOOTH.
WE CAN DO THE SAME
WITH THE TOOTH THAT YOU'RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT.
AND I DID A COUPLE OF ESTIMATES,
AND I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 52 FOOTER.
BASED ON THE TOOTH.
52 FOOTER, SO...
OKAY, SO, WHAT SIZED JAWS ARE WE LOOKING AT?
I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE,
ABOUT 8 1/2 FEET WIDE BY ABOUT 6 FEET HIGH.
YEAH.
AS A MECHANICAL DESIGNER,
JIM CAN APPRECIATE NATURE'S KILLING CREATIONS.
DWARFING MODERN PREDATORS LIKE THE KILLER WHALE
OR ANYTHING ELSE IT MIGHT ENCOUNTER IN A MODERN SEA,
THE SHEER SIZE OF A MEGALODON IS INCREDIBLE.
AND NATURE'S SHARK TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT CHANGED MUCH
IN THE 2 MILLION YEARS SINCE MEGALODON WENT EXTINCT.
AND WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT SHARKS --
THE JAW'S ACTUALLY HINGED TO THE BRAIN CASE,
AND SO AS THE SHARK APPROACHES ITS PREY, THE BOTTOM JAW LOWERS.
THE WHOLE SET OF JAWS PIVOT OUT OF THE MOUTH, OKAY?
MM-HMM.
AND THEN ONCE IT'S ENGAGED ITS PREY WITH ITS LOWER JAW,
THE UPPER JAW COMES DOWN,
AND YOU GET THIS RIPPING, GOUGING BITE.
AND JUST TO AID IT A LITTLE BIT,
THE SHARK WILL SHAKE ITS HEAD BACK AND FORTH.
SO THAT'S WHEN THEY GET, YOU KNOW, FULL BITE PRESSURE THERE?
FULL BITE PRESSURE'S PROBABLY COMING SOMEWHERE
ABOUT MIDWAY OR SO DOWN IN THIS BITE.
GOT YOU.
JIM NOW HAS THE SMOKING GUN TOOTH FOSSIL
AND A BLUEPRINT OF HOW THE SHARK'S JAW WORKED.
SCIENTIFIC THEORIZING NOW ENDS AND ENGINEERING BEGINS.
IMAGINE THE CHALLENGE THAT JIM FACED.
IT'S AS IF HE HAD TO BUILD A JIGSAW PUZZLE,
BUT ONLY HAD ONE PIECE.
BUT YOU GOT TO START SOMEWHERE.
I GET TO FINALLY BUILD THIS, AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ME ANYMORE BUILDING THIS MACHINE.
I'M DOING IT FOR THESE PEOPLE I JUST MET.
AGAIN, THE ENTHUSIASTS, THE SCIENTISTS,
A WHOLE NEW COMMUNITY THAT IS JUST AS INTERESTED
IN SEEING THIS THING COME TO LIFE AS I AM, IF NOT MORE.
WELCOME BACK.
IN A FEW MINUTES,
WE ARE ABOUT TO UNWRAP THIS FULL-SCALE REPLICA
OF THE LARGEST, MOST FEROCIOUS PREDATOR
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
SCIENTISTS CALL HIM MEGALODON, BUT WE CALL HIM SHARKZILLA.
SHARKZILLA!
Narrator: JUST HOW DO YOU BUILD
A 52-FOOT-LONG, FULLY OPERATIONAL,
SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE ARTIFICIAL SHARK?
BY GOING TO THE RIGHT PLACE, THAT'S HOW.
JIM SHARITS DOES NOT WORK ALONE.
HE IS PART OF A DESIGN TEAM
VERY USED TO CONSTRUCTING MECHANICAL MARVELS.
OH, PERFECT, BRETT.
WILL YOU HOLD THAT FOR ME?
TECHNIFEX IS A COMPANY
THAT DOES ONE-OF-A-KIND, PROTOTYPE EQUIPMENT
FOR THEME PARKS, SPECIAL EVENTS.
WE BUILD ICONIC FEATURES FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.
COULD IT BE ONE CYLINDER
THAT DRIVES BOTH UPPER AND LOWER JAWS?
ALL RIGHT. TALK TO ME.
I BROUGHT ALL THE INFORMATION BACK THAT WE NEEDED AS A TEAM
TO TRY AND DEVELOP WHAT THIS SHARK'S GOING TO BE.
AND I'M MEETING WITH CHARLES, AND HE'S PUT TOGETHER A MODEL
THAT REPRESENTS THE MECHANISM THAT HE WANTS TO BUILD.
CAN YOU HOLD IT THERE FOR A SEC?
AND SO FAR, THE MODEL LOOKS GREAT.
I THINK HE'S HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND FROM THAT MODEL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO EXTRACT DRAWINGS
THAT WE CAN TAKE OUT ON THE SHOP FLOOR
AND START CONSTRUCTING THIS THING.
Narrator: BUT THE CUTTING-EDGE OF THIS CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY
STILL NEEDS TO BE THE TEETH.
Sharits: TEETH ARE EXTREMELY STRONG.
THE TEETH THAT WE FOUND AT SHARKTOOTH HILL --
THEY'VE LASTED MILLIONS OF YEARS.
THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY VERY DURABLE,
AND THE FACT THAT SHARKS HAVE TO BITE THROUGH BONES AND CARTILAGE
AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY STRONG.
AND STEEL IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THING
THAT WE CAN EQUATE TO THAT AND USE IN OUR MECHANISM.
Narrator: BUT CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY ONLY GOES SO FAR.
SOMETIMES, YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS.
Sharits: SO, I'M AT GLOBE IRON FOUNDRY.
THIS IS A PLACE THAT DOES MAJOR CASTINGS,
AND WE'RE HERE TO CAST THE TEETH.
AND THE WAY THIS PROCESS WORKS
IS THEY'LL TAKE THE PATTERN OF THE TOOTH THAT WE GIVE THEM,
AND THEY'LL LITERALLY PRESS IT INTO THE SAND,
CREATING THAT SHAPE.
ONCE IT'S DONE, THEY POUR THE METAL IN
AND THAT CREATES THE TOOTH.
Man: CHECK IT TO SEE IF IT'S HOT.
OH, WE'RE GOOD.
SINCE YOU'RE NOT BURNED, IT'S NOT HOT.
Narrator: ALL IN ALL, WE CAST 50 STEEL TEETH.
Sharits: OUR STEEL TEETH TURNED OUT AMAZING.
THEY LOOK IDENTICAL TO THE MEG TOOTH
WE FOUND AT SHARKTOOTH HILL.
ON A TREE, BASICALLY.
IN ALL FACETS, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IS RIGHT THERE.
GOT A HANDFUL OF FINISHED TEETH, NOW.
NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS FULL SET OF STEEL TEETH --
THEY'RE DAUNTING ENOUGH LOOKING AT THOSE --
BUT NOW WE HAVE TO CREATE
THE JAWS THAT THEY'RE GONNA LIVE IN.
Narrator: THESE JAWS HAVE TO BE 8 FEET WIDE
AND CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING
TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF BITE FORCE.
Sharits: WE'RE WELL INTO FABRICATION NOW,
AND THE MATERIALS WE'RE USING ARE LIKE STRUCTURAL BOX TUBING.
IT'S HEAVY-DUTY STRUCTURAL STEEL.
AND ONCE THE STRUCTURE'S BUILT, THEN WE ADD THE HYDRAULICS.
WE CAN START PUTTING THEM TOGETHER WITH THE MECHANISM.
Narrator: THE JAWS HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY CREATED.
BUT HOW POWERFUL WOULD THEY NEED TO BE TO BITE THROUGH A WHALE?
IN ORDER TO FIND OUT,
JIM SHARITS MET CHUCK CIAMPAGLIO AT HIS LABORATORY
IN OHIO'S WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY,
WHERE TOGETHER, THEY CONSULTED SKILLED MODEL MAKER MIKE TAYLOR.
Sharits: CHUCK INTRODUCED ME TO HIS COLLEAGUE, MIKE,
AND MIKE HAD SOME GREAT DIAGRAMS,
AND HE REALLY WAS ABLE TO KIND OF
LAY OUT WHAT THE BITE MECHANICS ARE.
Narrator: THOSE MECHANICS ARE ASTONISHING.
THE MEGALODON MAY HAVE BEEN CAPABLE
OF 20,000 POUNDS OF BITE FORCE --
A BITE THAT HAS TO BE PRECISELY CALIBRATED.
ALTHOUGH THE BITE SEEMS LIKE A SIMPLE THING,
AS MIKE DESCRIBED IT,
IT BECAME APPARENT THAT IT'S VERY COMPLEX.
THE LOWER AND UPPER JAWS --
BOTH HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL JOBS THAT THEY DO.
AND THEY MOVE AT DIFFERENT RATES,
AND IT COULD POSE SOME POTENTIAL PROBLEMS FOR US
IN THE ENGINEERING PROCESS.
Narrator: NOW, THE JAWS
ONLY REPRESENT THE BUSINESS END OF SHARKZILLA.
WHAT ABOUT THE MASSIVE BODY?
AS OUR SHARK NEEDS TO BE TRANSPORTED,
WEIGHT HAS TO BE A CONSIDERATION.
JIM AND HIS DESIGN TEAM HIT UPON AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION.
Sharits: WE BROUGHT ADAM IN FROM CREATIVE INFLATABLES
TO HELP US OUT IN CREATING THE BODY
TO ATTACH TO THE HEAD OF THE SHARK.
Narrator: YEP. YOU HEARD RIGHT.
CREATIVE INFLATABLES WILL BUILD US A BODY
THAT WE CAN BLOW UP
AND WILL BE LIGHTER THAN AIR FOR TRANSPORTATION.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE PUTTING AN INFLATABLE
OVER A MECHANICAL UNIT,
AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MERGE THOSE TWO TOGETHER.
PROBABLY GONNA BUILD THE BACK PORTION
FROM WHERE THE METAL SECTION IS.
THERE'S TWO SEPARATE PIECES --
THE BOTTOM JAW AND THE TOP OF THE HEAD.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE REMOVING THOSE.
SO THIS WAY,
THE JAWS ARE EXPOSED AND IT'LL BE ABLE TO CRUNCH
WHATEVER THEY PUT INSIDE THE JAWS.
I THINK THE ATTACHMENT PART'S
NOT GONNA BE THAT DIFFICULT FOR US.
WE MIGHT BE USING WHAT'S CALLED A GROMMET AND LACE TECHNIQUE.
Narrator: AS THE INFLATABLE BODY IS FABRICATED,
THE MASSIVE STEEL JAWS ARE READY TO BE ASSEMBLED.
WE FINALLY RECEIVED THE JAWS HERE AT TECHNIFEX,
AND, MAN, THEY LOOK GREAT.
THEY'RE OVER 1,500 POUNDS A PIECE,
SO WE'RE GONNA USE OUR CRANE TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THEM
WHILE WE POSITION AND ATTACH THEM TO OUR MECHANISM.
Narrator: LIVE FROM HIS LAB IN OHIO,
CHUCK CIAMPAGLIO OVERSEES FINAL ASSEMBLY.
SO, CHUCK, AGAIN, WHAT WE WANT TO DO
IS TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE ANGLE OF THE TEETH.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT
IS WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD GO LIKE THAT,
OR JUST KIND OF FACING OUT A LITTLE BIT
SO WHEN WE'RE ABOUT MID STROKE, THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
A REAL GOOD CONNECTION OF THE TEETH WITH THE TISSUE.
YEAH, I THINK THE ANGLE YOU HAVE NOW LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
Narrator: NOW, THE 50 CAST-STEEL TEETH
ARE WELDED, ONE BY ONE, INTO PLACE.
Sharits: SO, UH, WE'RE PUTTING THE TEETH IN RIGHT NOW --
GETTING THE FINAL WELDS ON
SO WE MAKE SURE THEY HOLD TIGHT WHEN WE START BITING ON STUFF.
THERE WE GO.
EVERYTHING'S LOOKING GOOD SO FAR.
WE'RE ABOUT TO BRING THIS THING TO LIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
IT'S A PRETTY EXCITING MOMENT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING OUR TAILS OFF TRYING TO GET THIS THING DONE,
AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS MOMENT.
HEY, CHARLES, YOU READY TO DO THIS THING?
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: 2 MILLION YEARS AFTER THEY WENT EXTINCT,
WE TAKE A FRESH BITE WITH A MEGALODON.
Sharits: THERE IT IS. THERE IT IS, BABY.
I'M SO HAPPY, YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
I MEAN, TO SEE THIS THING FINALLY COME TO LIFE,
IT'S INCREDIBLE, AND IT WORKED!
IT WORKED OUT OF THE BOX.
I CAN'T WAIT TO BITE STUFF WITH IT NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE INSANE.
Kari: MY, WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE THERE, MR. SHARKZILLA.
I WONDER WHAT THAT MEANS
FOR THE SHEER BITING FORCE OF THESE MECHANICAL JAWS.
WELL, WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT REAL SOON, SO DON'T GO AWAY.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES,
WE'RE GONNA REVEAL WHAT JIM SHARITS AND HIS CREW
HAVE SPENT MONTHS DESIGNING AND BUILDING --
A 52-FOOT-LONG, FULL-SIZE MODEL
OF THE MOST PERFECT KILLING MACHINE
EVER ON THIS EARTH -- THE MEGALODON.
THE MIOCENE MURDERER.
SHARKZILLA!
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator: WE'VE NOW BUILT THE FRONT END OF SHARKZILLA.
BUT TREMENDOUS JAWS ARE ONE THING.
WHAT THEY CAN CHEW IS ANOTHER.
IN ORDER TO REPLICATE THE BITE
THAT MAY HAVE TORN THROUGH THE WHALE,
WE NEED TO DIAL IN THE BITE FORCE.
SO, I HAVE SOME BODY ANALOGS. BASICALLY...
DESIGNER JOHN TINDALL WAS CHARGED
WITH COOKING UP SHARKZILLA'S MENU.
Sharits: I BROUGHT IN MY FRIEND JOHN.
WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER IN THE PAST.
HE'S REALLY GOOD
AT DEMONSTRATING THE SCIENCE SIDE OF THINGS,
AND I KNOW HE'S GONNA BE GREAT
AT SETTING UP SOME ANALOGS FOR US TO BITE-TEST WITH.
WE HAVE SOME SOFT-TISSUE ANALOGS WITH SOME LITTLE BONE.
WE ALSO HAVE -- NOW, THIS LOOKS LIKE 2x4s,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS,
BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE BITING FORCE IT WOULD TAKE
TO CRUSH THROUGH THESE 2x4s
IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IT MIGHT TAKE TO GO THROUGH A BALEEN WHALE.
Narrator: FINALLY, IT'S SHOWTIME.
SHARKZILLA PREPARES TO TAKE HIS FIRST BIG BITES.
Sharits: WOW.
GREAT.
YEP. YEP.
LOOK AT THAT.
I THINK IT'S GOT PLENTY OF POWER THERE, JOHN.
YEAH. [ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: AND HE'S STILL HUNGRY.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A CRT AND TURN IT INTO A FLAT SCREEN TEST.
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
WHOA!
[ LAUGHS ]
[ LAUGHS ] THAT WAS...
THAT WAS FUN.
Narrator: ALTHOUGH TV SETS MIGHT BE FUN TO EAT,
THEIR SCIENTIFIC RELEVANCE REMAINS SOMEWHAT DUBIOUS.
JOHN TINDALL AND JIM SHARITS NEEDED SOME EXPERT ADVICE
ON MORE SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE SUBSTITUTES, OR ANALOGS,
FOR SHARKZILLA TO DIGEST.
AND THEY KNEW JUST WHO TO TALK TO.
IT'S GOING WELL.
WE GOT ALL KINDS OF FUN STUFF TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED WITH
WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING HERE.
OKAY. I'M DYING TO SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOT.
Narrator: JIM AND JOHN BRIEF KARI, GRANT, AND TORY
ON THEIR PROGRESS TO DATE.
AND THEIR MAJOR TEST CHALLENGE --
TO FORENSICALLY RE-CREATE A PREHISTORIC CRIME SCENE.
WE STILL HAVE A VICTIM TO DEAL WITH,
SO I NEED TO COME UP
WITH SOME SORT OF A MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION OF A WHALE
WITH THE MEAT AND THE FLESH AND THE BLUBBER AND ALL THAT STUFF.
WELL, IF YOU WERE LUCKY,
MAYBE YOU COULD FIND A BEACHED WHALE,
AND YOU COULD JUST TAKE YOUR SHARK DOWN THERE.
THAT'S THE HARD PART --
FINDING A BEACHED WHALE.
HE'S ALWAYS GONNA COME UP WITH THE ANSWER "MEAT,"
AND HE'LL HAVE YOU SEWING 40 PIGS TOGETHER,
SO MAYBE THERE'S A SYNTHETIC ANALOG.
THERE'S AN IDEA -- SEWING 40 PIGS TOGETHER.
SYNTHETIC ANALOG. I THINK YOU HIT IT.
MAYBE SOME KIND OF, LIKE, FLEXIBLE URETHANE FOAM.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT HAS SOME DENSITY
SO THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, FLEXIBLE LIKE BLUBBER OF A WHALE.
OR, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GET DIFFERENT DUROMETERS
SO THAT IT ACTUALLY HAS, YOU KNOW --
YEAH.
RIGHT, 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT MUSCLE, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE CORE.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
WHAT WOULD YOU USE FOR THE BONES?
YOU COULD USE SOME KIND OF REINFORCED PLASTER.
THE BEST THING TO DO IS ACTUALLY CAST THE BONES IN YOUR FOAM
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE BODY OF THE WHALE
SO IT'S ONE COHESIVE PIECE.
THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
YEAH, 'CAUSE WE WANT TO BITE THROUGH ALL THAT STUFF, RIGHT?
WELL, AND THAT WOULD GIVE US MEANINGFUL ANSWERS, TOO,
'CAUSE IF IT BITES THROUGH,
WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THE FORENSICS
AND SEE WHAT IT ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO CHEW
AND WHETHER OR NOT IT COULD CHEW THE HEAD OFF OF A WHALE.
THAT'S A PRETTY BIG CASTING.
I MEAN, THIS WHOLE UNDERTAKING --
THE JAWS, THE SHARK, THE WHALE.
WOW. YOU GUYS ARE AMBITIOUS! [ CHUCKLES ]
YOU GOT YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU.
THAT WE DO.
BYE, GUYS.
Narrator: OUR WORK IS NOT DONE
UNTIL WE GET THE SCIENTIFIC SEAL OF APPROVAL.
CHUCK CIAMPAGLIO ARRIVES TO OVERSEE
THE FINAL BITE-CALIBRATION TESTS.
INTRODUCING MEGALODON.
OH, MY GOD. LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, MAN. YOU DID IT, HUH?
[ CHUCKLES ] IS THIS AWESOME OR WHAT?
OH, MY.
FEEL THE EDGES.
VERY SHARP, MAN.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE TEETH IN HERE,
THIS IS WHERE THE TEETH WOULD BE.
YEAH. OH, ABSOLUTELY.
NO, THESE ARE THE FUNCTIONAL ROWS, MAN.
THIS IS -- THIS IS PERFECT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
JUST LIKE AT THE DENTIST,
WE NEED TO TAKE A BITE IMPRESSION.
CHUCK HAS TO COMPARE THIS ULTIMATE OVERBITE
WITH A REAL SHARK BITE.
Sharits: YOU READY, CHUCK?
I'M READY, MAN. LET'S DO THIS!
HIT IT!
OHH!
[ CHUCKLES ]
OH, LOOK AT IT. IT'S TAKING IT AWAY.
OH, WOW.
[ LAUGHS ] SO, LOOK AT THAT.
LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THIS.
THAT'S LIKE AT LEAST A 6-FOOT BITE RADIUS ON THIS THING.
EASILY. ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK?
YOU JUST BROUGHT MEGALODON BACK TO LIFE.
Ciampaglio: I HAD NO IDEA
THAT IT WOULD FUNCTION EXACTLY LIKE WE HAD SURMISED.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT
BEING ABLE TO BITE A WHALE TAIL OFF
OR SEVER ONE IN HALF, I SAID, "YEAH, PROBABLY, MAYBE."
FOR SURE, MAN. NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER.
NO PROBLEM.
SMALL WHALE -- HEAD, TAIL GONE. BITTEN IN HALF.
BIG WHALE -- 60 SECONDS LATER, IT'S BLED TO DEATH.
MEGALODON ATE IT.
THIS IS AMAZING,
AND I BELIEVE LOOKING AT THIS, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET
SOME REALLY NICE, USABLE SCIENTIFIC DATA FROM IT.
Narrator: BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST.
WE NEED TO COMPLETE ASSEMBLY.
THE INFLATABLE BACK END OF THE SHARK
IS ACTUALLY COMPOSED OUT OF A MOSAIC OF PRE-PAINTED PANELS,
EACH ONE OF WHICH NEEDS TO BE SEWN TOGETHER BEFORE INFLATION.
SO, THIS IS LIKE A MAP OF HOW TO SEW IT TOGETHER.
PRETTY MUCH.
AND THEN THIS GUIDE RIGHT HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE,
JUST LETS THEM KNOW WHICH PANEL GOES WHERE.
TWO WEEKS LATER, WE'VE GOT THINGS ALL SEWN UP.
THE FABRIC BODY HAS BEEN STITCHED TOGETHER
AND IS READY TO BE ATTACHED TO THE MECHANICAL JAW.
ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TASKS
IS TO MARRY BOTH THE INFLATABLE TOP PART OF THE HEAD
AND THE BOTTOM JAW.
THE BOTTOM JAW WE MADE OUT OF FOAM,
AND THE TOP OF THE HEAD WE MADE OUT OF INFLATABLE.
THE BACK PART'S ONE PIECE,
AND THEN THE TOP OF THE HEAD'S A DIFFERENT PIECE.
SO, THIS IS HOW WE BUILD A 52-FOOT SHARK
IN 10 MINUTES FLAT.
ALL THE BUILDUP --
I GET TO SEE THIS THING ALL TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING OUR TAILS OFF ON THIS FOR MONTHS NOW.
ALL THE INFORMATION,
EVERYTHING -- EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN --
IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER TODAY, AND I CAN'T WAIT.
YEAH. THAT LOOKS GOOD.
OKAY, LET'S GO!
Narrator: NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD,
AND WE BROUGHT IN A SPECIAL AUDIENCE
FOR WHEN WE FINALLY RAISE THE CURTAIN.
I'VE BEEN WAITING TO SHOW THIS TO YOU.
COME ON OUT. COME ON OUT.
WHOA!
WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!
THIS THING IS HUGE!
IT'S LIKE A BLIMP.
Sharits: HEY, LISTEN.
SO, WE ARE CLOSE TO HOLLYWOOD,
AND I WANTED TO REVEAL THIS FOR YOU
IN TRUE HOLLYWOOD FASHION, ALL RIGHT?
ARE YOU READY?
I DON'T KNOW! [ LAUGHS ]
COME ON, PLAY WITH ME A LITTLE BIT, ALL RIGHT?
HERE WE GO.
HOUSE LIGHTS.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
AAH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
Grant: OKAY.
COME ON.
Sharits: ARE YOU READY FOR MORE?
YEAH.
COME ON!
[ LAUGHS ]
LIGHTS!
PULL!
WHOA.
IT'S ALIVE!
IT'S ALIVE!
LOOK AT THAT THING!
WHOA!
[ LAUGHTER ]
THIS IS CRAZY.
WHOA!
MY GOD! THIS THING IS INSANE!
IT'S SO MUCH BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
OH, MY GOD!
Narrator: SHARKZILLA LIVES.
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO SEE WHAT'S UNDER HERE?!
[ CHEERING ]
I THINK HE'S STILL HUNGRY.
[ SHRIEKING ]
[ CROWD CHANTING "SHARK, SHARK!" ]
ARE YOU GUYS READY TO DO THIS? THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.
YOU GUYS READY TO SEE SHARKZILLA?!
LET'S DO IT!
[ CHANTING CONTINUES ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
YEAH!
SHARKZILLA! WHOO!
SHARKZILLA!
[ SCREAMS ]
LOOK AT THAT MOUTH!
HE'S MASSIVE!
[ SCREAMS ]
AAH!
WHO WANTS TO SEE HIM EAT SOMETHING?!
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator: COULD SHARKZILLA HAVE BITTEN THE HEAD OFF A WHALE?
IN ORDER TO FIND OUT,
WE NEED TO TAKE OFF HIS HEAD TO OPEN UP THE JAW MECHANISM
SO WE CAN BETTER SEE WHAT
AND -- IN THE CASE OF OUR FIRST TEST -- HOW MUCH
HE CAN ACTUALLY EAT.
HOW BIG A BITE CAN THIS THING REALLY TAKE, RIGHT?
ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE WHAT IT CAN DO.
BRING ON THE FOAM.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
OKAY. NICE.
Narrator: THE STYROFOAM BLOCK
WILL HELP US MEASURE THE EXACT-SIZED PORTION
THAT A MEGALODON COULD BITE OFF IN ONE BIG GULP.
OKAY.
Tindall: ARE YOU GUYS READY?!
ALL RIGHT! WE'RE READY! LET'S CHOP IT!
GO AHEAD, JIM, AND CHOP IT!
MAKE IT HAPPEN!
[ SHRIEKING ]
[ CROWD GASPS ]
I'M OKAY!
WHOO!
NOW THAT IS ONE --
THAT'S A GIANT BITE!
WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!
THAT WAS A STUNT FALL.
OH, MY GOD.
Narrator: NO, GRANT. THAT WAS NO STUNT FALL.
THE FORCE FROM THE BITE ON THE STYROFOAM BLOCK
WAS SO STRONG...
IT KNOCKED HIM RIGHT OFF THE STAGE.
[ SHRIEKING ]
OUR CAMERAS WERE FOCUSED ON OUR TESTS,
BUT SPECTATORS IN THE CROWD CAUGHT THE ACTION
ON THEIR PHONE CAMERAS.
Man: YEAH!
OH!
WHOA!
[ Distorted ] OH! WHOA!
SHARKZILLA IS DANGEROUS!
WOW!
I TELL YOU WHAT,
I DON'T WANT TO BE ON THIS PLATFORM NEXT
NO WAY!
Narrator: BESIDES GRANT,
SHARKZILLA WAS ABLE TO CONSUME 30 CUBIC FEET IN ONE BITE --
THE EQUIVALENT OF 1,890 POUNDS OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCE.
THAT WOULD BE MEAT TO US.
NEXT, WE HAVE TO MEASURE SHARKZILLA'S EXACT BITE.
WE BELIEVE THE REAL MEGALODON HAD A 20,000 POUND BITE FORCE.
IN ORDER FOR OUR TEST TO BE SUCCESSFUL,
SHARKZILLA HAS TO MATCH IT.
AS THE MYTHBUSTERS SUGGESTED,
THIS LAMINATE IS DESIGNED TO BUCKLE
UNDER 20,000 POUNDS OF PRESSURE.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LIMIT OF WHAT THIS MACHINE CAN HANDLE.
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! SHARK GODZILLA IS EATING.
WOW.
Grant: AWESOME!
THAT IS 20,000 POUNDS!
THAT IS AWESOME!
THAT IS ONE STRONG SHARK.
Narrator: NOW THAT SHARKZILLA IS UP AND BITING,
IT'S TIME TO GET READY FOR OUR WHALE DINNER.
BUT FIRST, A COUPLE OF APPETIZERS.
MEGALODONS LIKE SHARKZILLA ATE GIANT SEA LIONS.
THIS ANALOG OF AN ALLODESMUS
IS KIND OF LIKE ONE OF THOSE SEA LIONS,
EXCEPT THIS ONE IS MADE OUT OF FIBERGLASS.
OKAY, EVERYBODY BACK. HOLD IT, JIM.
THAT IS SERIOUS STUFF RIGHT THERE, BUDDY.
ONE SORRY SEA LION.
Narrator: THIS ANALOG PROVES THAT SHARKZILLA HAD NO TROUBLE
TEARING THROUGH ITS DAILY RATION OF SEA LIONS.
BUT HOW WOULD SHARKZILLA DO WITH SOMETHING BIGGER AND STRONGER --
SAY, A RIVAL GREAT WHITE SHARK?
OH, YEAH!
ALL RIGHT. EVERYBODY RUN!
AAH!
SHARKZILLA'S GONNA EAT.
HE'S INSATIABLE.
YEAH!
Grant: OH, YEAH. NO PROBLEM THERE.
Sharits: THAT'S NO MATCH FOR MY MEGALODON.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WE NEED A BIGGER BOAT.
Narrator: A SEA TURTLE WAS ALSO ON THE MENU.
ITS THICK SKIN IS THE EQUIVALENT OF MODERN-DAY ALUMINUM.
HMM.
WHAT COULD WE GET TO DUPLICATE THE SHELL OF A TURTLE?
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
WOW!
FINALLY --
THE WHALE-WATCHING EXPEDITION WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
DESIGNED TO THE MYTHBUSTERS' EXACTING SPECIFICATIONS,
OUR ANALOG OF A BALEEN WHALE HAS BLUBBER, AN ORGAN LAYER,
AND INSIDE, ARTIFICIAL BONES.
IT'S TIME TO ANSWER A 15-MILLION-YEAR-OLD QUESTION.
DID IT KILL A WHALE -- A BALEEN WHALE?
WAS THERE A *** ON SHARK HILL MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO?
WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.
LET'S SEE IF SHARKZILLA IS THE MIOCENE MURDERER!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Grant: YOU WANT TO BE FAR AWAY FROM THIS.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S SEE IF SHARKZILLA WAS THE WHALE KILLER.
THIS IS IT, PEOPLE.
SHAKE IT! SHAKE IT! SHAKE IT!
[ CHUCKLES ] WOW.
THAT IS TERRIFYING.
LOOK HOW THE JAWS MOVE OUT AND DOWN.
YEAH. I KNOW.
SHARKZILLA IS DEFINITELY THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.
Kari: I KNOW!
OHH!
DID YOU HEAR THAT AS HE TAKES A CHUNK OUT OF A WHALE?
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
TURNS OUT SHARKZILLA DID IT TO THE WHALE.
ALL RIGHT.
YES!
Kari: SHARK BITE!
OH! LOOK AT THE --
EW!
YOU KNOW WHAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN?
I THINK WE HAVE A MURDERER HERE.
I THINK WE DEFINITELY SOLVED THIS CASE.
SHARKZILLA KILLED THE WHALE.
SHARKZILLA, YOU'RE GOING TO JAIL.
GUILTY AS CHARGED. [ LAUGHS ]
WOW. LOOK. HE BIT CLEAN THROUGH THE BONES.
NO PROBLEM WITH THE BLUBBER.
WOW. ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE GUTS.
Narrator: IT'S BEEN A 15-MILLION-YEAR JOURNEY
FROM THE MIOCENE TO SHARKTOOTH HILL
TO THIS CALIFORNIA BEACH.
FOR SEAN AND LISA TOHILL, THE PAST HAS COME TO LIFE --
A PAST THEY'LL NOT SOON FORGET.
Lisa: YOU KNOW, AFTER WATCHING
THE MEGALODON BITE DOWN ON WHAT WAS LIKE THE WHALE,
I MEAN, I'M PRETTY WELL CONVINCED
THAT WE HAVE OUR KILLER.
Sean: ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK HE'S GUILTY -- VERY GUILTY.
[ CHUCKLES ] GUILTY AS CHARGED.
GUILTY AS CHARGED. YEAH.
OKAY. ENOUGH WITH ALL OF THIS SCIENCE.
WHEN DO WE GET TO START HAVING FUN AND JUST THROWING STUFF IN?
LET'S DO IT!
LET'S DO IT NOW!
Narrator: AS THE SUN SLOWLY SETS IN THE WEST,
BEACHGOERS HELP US FEED SHARKZILLA.
SO, YOU WANT TO STICK THIS TOY IN THERE?
IT'S NOT EXACTLY SCIENCE, BUT IT'S SURE A LOT OF FUN.
ALL RIGHT. NOW, LET'S GET DOWN. YOU'VE GOT TO RUN.
All: ONE!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
ONE! THERE IT GOES!
AAH!
All: AWW!
EVERYBODY WANTS TO FEED SHARKZILLA.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
HOPE WE SEE YOU AGAIN REAL SOON
'CAUSE SHARKZILLA'S STILL HUNGRY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA FEED KARI TO IT.
AAH!
[ CROWD CHANTING "SHARK, SHARK!" ]