'Oddly shaped rock' unearthed in California turns out to be 'immaculate' mastodon molar

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Live Science
'Oddly shaped rock' unearthed in California turns out to be 'immaculate' mastodon molarWorldPing
Image via Live Science.

What happened

A field survey in San Mateo County, California, has revealed the fossilized tooth of an adult Pacific mastodon, an ice-age giant that was probably native to the West Coast.

Key facts

  • Reported by Live Science and published Fri, 11 Sep 2026 18:11:48 UTC.

Why it matters

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What to watch next

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Sources

The original report was published by Live Science. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Live Science

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