In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have unveiled fossils of an enormous snake in India, estimated to have been longer than a school bus and weighing over a ton. The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, shed light on the existence of this ancient behemoth that lived approximately 47 million years ago in the swampy evergreen forests of western India.

Named Vasuki indicus, after the mythical snake king Vasuki in Hindu folklore, this massive creature stretched anywhere between 36 feet (11 meters) to an astonishing 50 feet (15 meters). This measurement puts it in the same league as the previously identified largest snake, which resided in what is now Colombia and measured around 42 feet (13 meters). Today, the largest living snake is Asia's reticulated python, reaching up to 33 feet (10 meters) in length.

The fossils were initially discovered near a coal mine in western India's Kutch, Gujarat region in 2005 by Sunil Bajpai, one of the co-authors of the study from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. Over 20 fossil vertebrae were compared to the skeletons of living snakes to estimate the size of this ancient reptile.

Although the exact diet of Vasuki indicus remains unknown, nearby fossils suggest it coexisted with catfish, turtles, crocodiles, and even primitive whales, potentially indicating that these creatures were at the top of the food chain in their swampy habitat.

Interestingly, Vasuki indicus and another extinct giant snake called Titanoboa, discovered in Colombia, share a commonality—they both thrived during periods of exceptionally warm global climates. Cambridge University paleontologist Jason Head, who was not involved in the study, explained that these snakes required higher temperatures to grow to such colossal sizes, emphasizing the correlation between warm climates and the evolution of giant cold-blooded animals.

However, Head also noted that the current pace of global warming is too rapid for snakes to evolve into giants again. While theoretically possible, the timeline for such a transformation would far exceed the timeframe of the changing climate.

The discovery of Vasuki indicus represents a significant leap forward in our understanding of prehistoric reptiles and the ancient ecosystems they inhabited. As scientists continue to unearth fascinating fossil records, they bring us closer to unraveling the mysteries of our planet's past.

Note: This article is based solely on the information provided and does not include additional speculation or extrapolation.