* I know this isn't a conspiracy, but often this is where topics like these go.

I don't know what it is about water, oceans/the sea specifically. Drowning, or being pulled in by a wave. That's the most frightening death to me. I was also thinking about being stuck out at sea, kind of like the movie Life of Pi. Salt water oceans make up 71% of the Earth's surface, that's a lot. Sharks are in the water too (not where I live though, but still m8).

Tsunami - Caught On Camera (Movie)

Deep Ocean... It's a weird, scary place.
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Frilled Shark [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
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Barreleye [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
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Dragon Fish [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]
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Anglerfish [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

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Top 10 Terrifying Prehistoric Sea Monsters

10. Megalodon
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Megalodon is probably the best-known creature in the list; its hard to keep the idea of a shark the size of a school bus out of pop culture. Plus, science-minded entertainment sources like the Discovery Channel love creatures that could pass for a movie monster. Despite the popular idea that Megalodon coexisted with dinosaurs, they lived from 25 to 1.5 million years ago, meaning that at best they missed the last dinosaur by 40 million years. On the other hand, this meant they might have still been around for the first humans. Eek.

Megalodons swam the warm oceans that were around until the last ice age in the early Pleistocene, which may have robbed them of their breeding grounds and food. Sometimes, it seems nature has our back.

9. Liopleurodon
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If Jurassic Park had an aquarium scene, and actually featured more animals from the Jurassic period, liopleurodon probably would have been in it. Although the actual length of these beasts is contested (some scientists have claimed lengths in excess of 50), most agree that it was around 20 feet in length, with a full fifth of that being pointy-toothed head. When the mouth of the smaller estimate is still plenty large to eat you whole, I think that is perfectly huge enough.

Scientists have tested the paddle design of these creatures on small swimming robots and found that although they would not have been incredibly fast, they were incredibly agile. They also would have been able to make short, fast burst attacks like crocodiles, which in no way makes them any less intimidating.

8. Basilosaurus
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Despite the name and appearance, that is not a reptile, but actually a whale (and not even the most fearsome on the list!) Basilosaurs were predatory ancestors of modern whales, and could be 50 to 85 feet long! It is described as being the closest a whale has ever come to being a snake because of how long and sinuous it was. Imagine swimming in the ocean with an 80+ foot long alligator-snake-whale. Now imagine being afraid to even take a bath ever again.

Physical evidence suggests that basilosaurus did not have the cognitive ability of modern whales, nor the ability to echolocate, and could only navigate in 2 dimensions (so no deep diving or breaching). So at least this monster whale was dumber than a bag of prehistoric hammers and could not chase you if you dove or scrambled out on dry land, probably forever.

7. Jaekelopterus rhenaniae
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Nothing about the words sea scorpion are comforting to begin with, so this should not come off as too awful: this was one of the two largest arthropods to have ever lived, reaching a length of over 8 feet of armored, clawed horror. Most of us freak out at the thought of inch-long ants and foot wide spiders, so its easy to imagine screaming like a little girl if you ever stumbled across a living one of these.

On the plus side, sea scorpions (Euripterids) have been extinct since before the dinosaurs, having been wiped out in the Permian Triassic extinction event (which killed 90% of all life on earth) and are only survived, to some degree, by horseshoe crabs, which are even less formidable than regular crabs. There is no evidence that any sea scorpions were actually venomous, but the structure of their tail is similar to a modern scorpions, so it might have been.

6. Mauisaurus
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Mauisaurus was named after the Maori god Maui, who pulled the islands of New Zealand up from the sea floor with a fish hook, so already you know this thing is going to be enormous. The neck of Mauisaurus measured up to 49 feet long; the longest proportionate (and really, actual) neck of any living thing aside from some sauropod dinosaurs. Their overall length was about 66 feet, and that ridiculously long neck had plenty of vertebrae, implying that it was flexible. Imagine a snake strung through a sea turtle with no shell, and you have an approximate idea of what this thing looked like.

It lived back in the Cretaceous era, meaning that creatures that jumped in the water avoid Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurs had to contend with these; the jury is out on which is worse. As far as science can tell, Mauisaurus was limited to the New Zealand area, showing that the area that would one day become Australia and its neighbors was always a land of terror.

5. Dunkleosteus
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Dunkleosteus was a 30 foot long carnivorous tank. It was outlasted by sharks, but I am sure that is small consolation for the variety of creatures this beast ate. Instead of teeth, it had bony ridges, like a turtle. It has been calculated that they had a bite force of 8,000 pounds per square inch, putting it on par with crocodiles and T-Rex in terms of being historys strongest biters. They also believe, based on the evidence in the skull regarding its musculature, that it could have opened its mouth in one fiftieth of a second, meaning it vacuumed food into its guillotine of a mouth.

The plates that made up the teeth changed as the fish aged from a solid, rigid jaw to segments that allowed it to hold prey easier, and made it more effective in biting through the bony plate armor of other armored fish. In the arms race that was the prehistoric ocean, Dunleosteus was a predatory super tank.

4. Kronosaurus
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Kronosaurus is another short-necked pliosaur (like Liopleurodon up at number 9), and like Liopleurodon, its overall length has been contested. It was a mere 30 feet long and the longest teeth in its massive mouth were up to 11 inches long. This is why it was named after Cronus, the king of the old Greek Titans.

Guess where it lived? If you guessed Australia, then you have been paying attention to life (and are correct). The head was up to 9 feet long. They could eat an entire modern man whole, and still have room left over for half of another. It has also been suggested that since their flippers are so similar in design to those of modern sea turtles, that they may have crawled out onto land to lay eggs. You can be sure no one was digging up these things nests to get at the eggs.

3. Helicoprion
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These sharks grew to be about 15 feet long, and had a lower jaw that was made of a tooth whorl. It looks like a cross between a circular saw and a shark, and when you mix apex predators with power tools, the world quakes in fear.

Helicoprions teeth were serrated, implying that they were definitely carnivores, but there is some debate as to whether their teeth were in the front of the mouth, as shown in the picture, or if they were farther back, which would suggest a softer diet, like jellyfish. However it was arranged, it clearly worked; Helicoprion survived the Permian Triassic extinction, which means they may have been smart enough to create bomb shelters. Or maybe they just lived in the deep sea.

2. Livyatan melvillei
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Remember me mentioning hypercarnivorous whales? Well here it is. Imagine a cross between an orca and a sperm whale. Livyatan melvillei was a whale that ate other whales. It had the largest teeth of any animal to ever use their teeth to eat (elephant tusks are bigger, but they just look impressive and help them smash things; they dont eat with them) topping out at 1.18 feet. They lived in the same oceans and ate the same food as the Megalodon, so this whale actually had to compete with the largest predatory shark ever.

Not to mention their head was 10 feet long and featured the same echo-locating equipment as modern toothed whales, making them much more effective in murky water. In case it was not obvious, this beast was named after the leviathan, a giant sea monster from the bible, and Herman Melville, who wrote Moby Dick. If the great white whale had been one of these, it would have eaten the Pequot and everyone aboard as a snack.

1. Giant Stingray
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What grew 17 feet across, had a 10 inch poison spike in its tail and was strong enough to drag a boat filled with people? In this case, a prehistoric super-fish that is still lurking around in fresh and brackish waters from the Mekong river to northern Australia. Stingrays have been around since a few million years after the dinosaurs died out, and have proven to be a successful design, much like the sharks they descended from.

The giant stingrays use that tried and true ancient design, but have somehow managed to survive ice ages and even the catastrophic Toba event. They were featured on Animal Planets River Monsters, and despite the hosts tendency to exaggerate damn near everything, they are incredibly dangerous to fool around with, even if you dont know you are fooling around with one. They are notorious for putting their neurotoxin covered spike completely through limbs. I guess, on the plus side, if there is one, at least they wont try to eat you.

Risks of Surfing
Also swimming

Be afraid, be very afraid. Surfing may seem like a nice, fun, safe sport, but after reading this top 10 you'll probably never want to go near the ocean again. From crazed locals to life threatening leash tangles, it's like a horror movie out there.

If that's not put you off, let's look at some of the dangers that you might encounter when out surfing, and the scares that are lurking out there in the deep dark ocean.

1. Marine Life
Sharks just have to come top of the list. Big teeth, attacks with no warning, all that screaming and bubbling red water. The danger that a shark poses is obvious, but there are other just as dangerous marine life to keep on the look out for. These include Seals, Snakes (sea ones, obviously), Urchins, Jellyfish and Stingrays. All can be potentially life threatening.

2. Drowning
There is a very real risk of drowning while surfing. Hold-downs, getting trapped on the reef, being separated from your board and not being able to swim in, and unconsciousness through a collision are all possible causes of drowning while surfing . So remember, always go surfing with a friend who will help you out if you get into trouble.

3. Waves
Waves may look nice from the beach but can be incredibly powerful. Some are powerful enough to break bones. Wipeouts on waves are a common cause of surfing injury.

4. Locals
Sometimes the most scary thing about a surf break are the regular surfers. Locals can sometimes be unfriendly, and in some cases, outwardly aggressive. Reduce the chance of an incident with a pack of irascible locals by behaving yourself, observe surf etiquette at all times, and don't make a general nuisance of yourself. If you're not behaving yourself then you only have yourself to blame.

5. Riptides
Rips are a hazard for surfers and swimmers alike and are often present at surf spots. These strength sapping currents can sweep out to sea and to a watery grave in the blink of an eye (well, almost!).

6. Surfboards
Surfboards can be a dangerous piece of sporting equipment. Pointed at one end, with one or more switchblade like fins ready to slice anything that gets in their way. Truly the stuff of nightmares. Keep control of your board while surfing and try to keep out of it's malevolent way when you wipeout.

7. Leash Tangles
The infuriating leash is terribly annoying whilst surfing, continuously trying to wrap itself around any spare limb it can get hold of. You can rest assured that it will try to incapacitate you at the most inopportune time. The only thing so do is to make sure you have a leash with a swivel. The rest is in the hands of the gods.

8. The Sea Bed
If it's a sandy bottom it will feel like concrete if a wave pounds you down upon it. If it is a rock reef it might as well be concrete, although it will be much more jagged and likely to cause more injury that regular smooth concrete. If it is coral, you are in real trouble. First, it will cut you like a razor blade. Then it will leave tiny pieces behind to infect you for months after. Here's a tip; never, ever, fall off your board.

9. Crowds and Newbies
The more people in the lineup, the more dangerous it becomes. Boards flying left and right, surfers using bodyboarders as speed bumps, bodyboarders using swimmers as speed bumpsyou get the idea! Add newbies to the mix and it's a disaster waiting to happen.

10. Spiders
Although you are unlikely to be found in the surf, they are well worth a mention. There could be a little incy wincy lurking in your board bag, ready to give you a nasty little nip. Besides, everyone is afraid of spiders.

Don't worry, there's little to no reason to be concerned. Surfing is a safe sport and as long as you are careful, you should not encounter any problems. Judging by some of the comments, this slightly tongue in cheek article has been taken quite seriously. Please take it all with a pinch of salt!

What scared you the most? I will update this topic if feedback is positive...