10 Legendary Beasts That Might Actually Exist!
5. Cyclops
In ancient Greek mythology, the Cyclopes were a group of one-eyed giants who loved munching on sheep and people. Among them, the most famous was the fierce son of Poseidon, Polyphemus, who was blinded by Odysseus.
Now, as for the real story, in 1914, paleontologist Otenio Abel suggested that skulls of dwarf elephants were the myth’s origins since the central nasal opening in the elephant’s skull could be easily mistaken for a giant eye socket. Interestingly, these elephants were found precisely on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus, Malta, Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese.
6. Chinese Dragons
Unlike many other dragons, the Chinese dragon does not have wings, but it does have a long beard, among a thousand other qualities. While most dragons in Western mythology are usually associated with fire and destruction, Chinese dragons in myths usually appear as benevolent creatures protecting the land.
And if the myths about European dragons are potentially rooted in dinosaur fossils, the Chinese dragon’s origins are even more ethereal. Not so long ago, the fossil remains of a gigantic snake called Titanoboa were discovered in Colombia. After conducting a comparative analysis of the skeleton, scientists came to the conclusion that the snake could reach 13 meters in length and weigh more than a ton. Titanoboa lived around 60 million years ago in the tropical forests of modern Colombia. But it is quite possible that it had similar huge relatives on other continents, like Vasuki indicus, for example.
