Megalodon Tooth Necklace Discovered in 111-Year-Old Shipwreck of Titanic, Revealed by 3D Scan

A megalodon tooth necklace was discovered during the 111-year-old Titanic shipwreck's 3D reconstruction by Magellan. The same company will use AI face recognition to identify the owner.

The find followed the employment of two submarines by Guernsey-based Magellan to create the first full-size digital scan of the fatal luxury passenger ship.

Megalodon Tooth Necklace and AI Facial Recognition

The project produced more than 700,000 photos from every aspect, making it the most comprehensive undersea survey in history.

A turquoise and gold necklace with a tooth from a Megalodon, a now-extinct shark species, and the biggest shark to have ever lived, was noticed in one of the photographs. However, because of an earlier agreement, artifacts cannot be taken from the debris.

Magellan is currently optimistic that AI-powered technology may assist in locating its owner and family members. To spot the jewelry being worn by its owner, they are keeping an eye on the film that recorded the individuals boarding the ship using AI and facial recognition. The ship was carrying 2,200 passengers when it ran aground on an iceberg and sank, as per Independent.

Richard Parkinson, CEO of Magellan, described the discovery as amazing, stunning, and breathtaking. He added that the find was remarkable given the scale of the disaster site.

In addition, there is a three-square-mile field of debris located between the bow and stern of the Titanic, which is something that is not well known. The team was able to identify those characteristics because of how meticulously they mapped the field.

Titanic Shipwreck

Notably, on its inaugural journey from Southampton (England) to New York in April 1912, the luxurious passenger liner sunk after striking an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people. Since it was initially found in 1985, around 400 miles off the coast of Canada, the shipwreck has been thoroughly studied, but cameras have never been able to fully capture the ship, NDTV reports.

Since the wreck of the Titanic was discovered in 1985, it has been thoroughly investigated. But since it's so big, cameras will merely ever show the tantalizing fragments of the rotting ship in the darkness of the deep.

Also Read: NOAA Finds 160-Year-Old Shipwreck on NC Sea Floor 

3D Reconstruction by Magellan

The latest scan covers the entire area, providing a complete view of the Titanic, which is surrounded by a huge field of rubble. It is divided in two, with the bow and stern separated by about 2,600 feet.

Magellan Ltd. performed the scan throughout the summer of 2022.

The depth, over 13,000 feet, provides difficulty, and there are currents at the location as well, according to Gerhard Seiffert, who oversaw the planning for the trip. Moreover, the crew was forbidden from touching anything to prevent harm to the wreck.

The requirement to map every square inch, including plain areas like the mud on the debris field, is another challenge, according to Seiffert.

The scan displays the ship's size as well as some finer characteristics, such as a propeller's serial number, BBC News reports.

Related Article: 1996 Titanic Dive Leaves Researchers with Mysterious Sonar Blip that Remained Undefined Until 26 Years Later