Scientist finds 10,000-year-old mastodon tooth while surveying California creek

A scientist conducting a frog survey at a California creek unexpectedly discovered an ancient mastodon tooth estimated to be over 10,000 years old. Paleontologists have identified the fossil as belonging to the Pacific mastodon, a long-extinct species. The tooth is set to undergo detailed analysis at Stanford University to determine its precise age. The discovery draws a striking link between present-day conservation fieldwork and California's prehistoric ecosystems.