Largest scorpion ever grew to over three-feet long and had six-inch pinchers, according to nightmare-inducing study

Article excerpt

Ancient scorpions dwarfed their modern cousins, according to a new study. The largest specimen ever discovered exceeded three feet in length, with pincers stretching six inches, nearly the size of a human hand. These supersized arachnids roamed Earth millions of years ago, when atmospheric oxygen levels were significantly higher than today. Researchers believe the abundance of oxygen enabled arthropods to grow far larger than current species can achieve. The findings offer insight into how environmental conditions shape the maximum size constraints of different animal groups across geological time periods.