For those who are disappointed that mythical creatures aren’t real, hope is not lost yet. In fact, there are plenty of legendary beings whose stories were found to be at least partially true, and some of these creatures were even discovered quite recently to have actually existed.
The Kraken is one of the most mysterious and frightening mythical creatures ever mentioned in old seafaring tales. Similar to a giant squid, but much larger and more “monster-like,” a new species of colossal squid was discovered not long ago in the Southern Ocean. Measuring more than 45 feet in length, the squid comes close to what could be described as a Kraken, its large eyes and beak being accompanied by limbs lined with giant hooks and suckers which could potentially damage even a large ship.
The Kraken is a mythical sea creature that has been mentioned in old seafaring tales for centuries. It is often described as a giant squid, but much larger and more monstrous. Recently, a species of colossal squid was discovered in the Southern Ocean and measured more than 45 feet in length, making it similar to the Kraken. It has large eyes, a beak, and limbs lined with giant hooks and suckers which could potentially damage a large ship. This species of squid is the closest thing to the mythical Kraken that has ever been discovered. It is believed that the Kraken may have been inspired by sightings of giant squid or other large sea creatures.
Indonesia was the site of discovery of yet another group of creatures believed to have only existed in myths and stories. The scientific community has recently discovered a species of extinct humans that bear a striking resemblance to hobbits. Homo floresiensis (nicknamed hobbits, of course) measure about 3 feet in height and used to have flat feet and long toes. Based on the fossils found in Indonesia, are estimated to have lived at least 12,000 years ago.
Dragons are no doubt some of the most famous mythical creatures ever depicted in any kinds of stories. Not many people know, however, that the ancestor of today’s Komodo dragons in Australia – the Megalania – actually looked very similar to the dragons we know from legends, growing to over 8 meters in length and spitting poisonous saliva that was capable of killing human beings. Sounds pretty familiar, right?
Dragons have been a popular subject in many cultures and have been depicted in various forms throughout history. In addition to the Megalania, there have been other real-life creatures that may have inspired the mythical dragon, such as the dinosaur species called the Quetzalcoatlus. This winged reptile had a wingspan of over 30 feet and is believed to have lived during the late Cretaceous period. The Chinese water dragon, a type of lizard found in Southeast Asia, also shares some similarities with the traditional dragon, such as its long, serpentine body and ability to breathe fire. These real-life creatures may have contributed to the creation of the dragon in legends and stories.
Dire Wolves are legendary creatures actively embedded into many modern stories. Larger and stronger than regular grey wolves, dire wolves actually existed side by side with them in the Pleistocene Age and have died out along with the rest of the mega-fauna when their food sources started to go extinct.
The initial myth about the Imoogi being a huge snake that could be compared with a young Dragon originated in China. However, very few people would suspect that such a creature actually existed in South America. The Titanoboa is a snake roughly 46 feet across that weighed more than a ton. Moreover, it was capable of an impressive constricting force of more than 400 PSI and could swallow a person without much difficulty.
Giants are mythical creatures that were depicted throughout the ages as large, vengeful versions of their “tiny” human counterparts. In 1964, famous Austrian artifact researcher Klaus Dona claimed to have examined bones found in Ecuador that belonged to a human-like creature measuring 7.6 meters in height. Similar skeletons were also found in Australia, Eastern Europe and Nicaragua, the latter having even been documented in a 1936 edition of the New York Times.
Giants have been a part of human mythology for centuries, with tales of their immense size and strength captivating our imaginations. However, recent discoveries suggest that these mythical creatures may have actually existed in some form. In addition to the bones found by Klaus Dona, other giant skeletons have been unearthed in various parts of the world, providing evidence that these beings may have once roamed the Earth. While it is unclear whether these skeletons truly belonged to giants or were simply exaggerated by ancient civilizations, the possibility of their existence adds a fascinating layer to the history of our planet.
Depicted in Norse poems, berserkers were considered to be fearless warriors capable of supernatural strength and legendary fighting frenzies. While they were seen as merely embellished stories for many years, scientists have recently discovered they were real and their enormous powers were due to intoxicating drugs taken before battle. These made them strong, fearless and numb to pain.
Some of these ancient creatures are certainly frightening, although part of us probably still wants to see them in action. Which of them do you hope to have gotten the chance to see in real life? Do you know of any other mythical creature that may have actually existed and would belong on this list?
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