Ancient Kraken: 62-Foot Giant Octopuses Roamed the Cretaceous Seas
Fossilized beaks from two giant Cretaceous octopuses suggest they grew up to 62 feet long and hunted in oceans about 100 million years ago, potentially rivalling apex predators like mosasaurs and plesiosaurs. Jaws show wear indicating they could dismantle hard-shelled prey, and signs of lateralized behavior imply brainier hunting patterns similar to modern octopuses, marking them as prehistoric top predators, though size estimates carry uncertainties.