Under the full moon, thousands of 'living fossils' emerge
ByTatum Fry
July 20, 2026Updated: July 20, 2026, 9:51 am EDTPublished: July 20, 2026, 5:00 am EDT

When the full moon rises over Ocean City, Maryland, one of nature's oldest rituals begins, a spectacle 450 million years in the making. Thousands of ancient "living fossils" emerge from the water under the moonlight, drawing onlookers to the shore. What calls them back, and why do crowds gather every summer to witness it? Watch the spectacle unfold here.

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