Kraken aren’t just part of movies like Pirates of the Caribbean. According to a study published in the journal Science, led by researcher Yasuhiro Iba, the creatures did exist. He describes them as “colossal octopuses that roamed the oceans of the Cretaceous period.”
The main finding is 27 fossilized jaws, the only hard part octopuses have that can be preserved. Thanks to technology, it was estimated that these giant squids measured between 10 and 19 meters and inhabited the ocean more than 70 million years ago.
It is also suggested that these giant squids were key players in marine ecosystems, competing with sharks for the same resources. This discovery reshapes the previous idea of prehistoric oceans, where invertebrates ruled just as much as plesiosaurs and large fish.