In the sometimes routine rhythm of a geologist’s day—studying core samples, logging data, and identifying deleterious materials—there are rare moments that make the heart race. One of those moments recently struck Bowser-Morner Geologist Jordan Oldham.

While examining a core sample from southeastern Kentucky, Jordan spotted something extraordinary lodged in the rock. Could it be… a shark tooth fossil? From the late Mississippian period, over 350 million years ago?

Yes, it could. And yes, it was.

The fossil belonged to Saivodus striatus, one of the many prehistoric shark species that once prowled the warm, shallow seas blanketing ancient Kentucky. Though the tooth was broken—the sharp medial cusp snapped off during drilling—Jordan’s trained eye instantly recognized the unmistakable form of the long-extinct predator.

The core sample came from an area near Mammoth Cave, a world-famous geological wonder and part of a landscape that makes Kentucky a true geologist’s playground. Beneath its rolling hills lie networks of caves, limestone, sandstone, and sinkholes—features that make subsurface investigations essential before any construction or quarry development begins. Each core tells a story of what lies below and guides recommendations for safe, stable building sites.

But sometimes, those stories hold a little more drama than expected.

Though Kentucky’s seas dried up eons ago, fossils like this tooth remind us of the thriving marine world that once existed there. The long, narrow teeth of Saivodus striatus were perfect for grasping slippery prey—just as modern sand tiger sharks do today. Scientists estimate these ancient sharks grew between 6 and 13 feet long, rivaling the size of today’s great whites.

Every rock core we study tells a story of Earth’s deep history—and sometimes, it bites back. From ancient seas to modern science, discoveries like Jordan’s connect our everyday work to the awe-inspiring natural history written in stone beneath our feet.