Teeny Tiny, Yet Sharpest Teeth Ever

In the hunt for the sharpest blade, many chefs would only be able to stand in awe of the recently studied fossil teeth.

These chompers, originally from the mouths of a large extinct species called condonts, are just micrometers in width, at the tip.

They are so tiny at their peak, in fact, that their edge is just one-twentieth the thickness of a single human hair.

The recently published research from the University of Bristol and Monash University discovered the odd vertebrae which were actually contained within the mouth of the extinct species.

Though considered to be a sort of spine, the ridges read more like canine teeth and were worn in much the same way that teeth would be.

However, there were no jaws to operate the movement of the ‘teeth’, so how could they have been used in such a way?

The solution to the question, of course, was the tiny size of the sharp edges. So tiny, in fact, that the species required very little pressure to break up food particles.

Many scientists are thoroughly intrigued by the findings and feel that much can be learned about the eating habits of these ancient species, simply by studying the ‘teeth’.

It is suspected that more than five million years ago, the dental makeup of these long-gone species was advanced enough to provide them the ability to munch on a wide variety of snacks.

The teeth seen in modern species certainly differ, but very likely evolved from the super sharp and microscopic vertebrae.

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