You are in the shallow oceans of Europe, 230 million years ago.

The coastal waters of the Triassic Tethys Sea were calm, almost too quiet. You, watching from the rocky shoreline, noticed a slight ripple near a sunken log. Suddenly, a snake-like head propelled by a long, slender neck lunged from the shallow water, snapping up a stray fish with a mouth full of needle-sharp, interlocking teeth.

Before the ripples could settle, the Nothosaurus—hardly larger than four meters—dragged itself onto the sandy bank, using its powerful limbs to haul its body out of the water to bask in the sun. It moved with a clumsy, seal-like gait, yet its sharp, keen eyesight remained fixed on the water’s edge, ever ready to return to its aquatic ambush spot.