If you’ve ever walked along the beaches of Topsail Island, North Carolina, you’ve probably seen folks scouring the sand with their heads down, searching for a treasure that’s as rare as it is ancient; shark teeth. And one of those folks could have been me.
This isn’t just a casual pastime; it’s an art form that requires patience, a sharp eye, and the ability to spot patterns in chaos.
Funny enough, this pastime reminds me of my work as a digital forensic examiner and is one of the reasons Mako Forensics got its name.
The methods and persistence required to uncover shark teeth mirror the skills I use every day when digging through digital evidence.
Let me show you how these two seemingly unrelated worlds overlap.
Spotting that Needle in the Haystack
Well, not exactly a needle or a haystack. But I figured I’d use an analogy most people have heard before.
Whether you’re combing through sand or a mobile phone, success starts with recognizing the things that stand out. You’ve got to ask yourself, “What doesn’t belong here?”
On the beach, a shark tooth can hide among thousands of shells and trillions of grains of sand.
Most people walk right past it, not even realizing what they’ve missed.
The same is true in digital forensics. A seemingly mundane timestamp or a hidden file might hold the key to unraveling an entire case.
Take it from someone who’s done both: it’s about training your eye to notice what doesn’t belong.
In my line of work, I sift through an overwhelming amount of data (emails, files, logs) until I spot the “tooth” I’m after.
That small detail, like a shark tooth’s distinctive triangle shape, can make all the difference.
Ah Yes, the Power of Patience
If you’ve ever searched for shark teeth, you know it’s not something that happens quickly. It takes time… and I mean lots of time! You could go hours upon hours or even days and with no guarantee of finding anything.
The same is true of digital forensics. Devices and computers hold millions of data points, and most of them lead nowhere. But rushing through data leads to missed details, so you have to stay calm and methodical.
There have been numerous investigations where days of combing through a device finally revealed a deleted text message or one photo that changed everything.
That moment is like finding a pristinely preserved tooth on the shoreline after hours of searching; small but deeply rewarding!
Method Man
No, I’m not talking about the rapper. Experienced shark tooth hunters know where and when to look. They must use a method to find exactly what they are looking for.
They study the tides, the patterns of the waves, and even the types of beaches where teeth are more likely to be found. They don’t just wander aimlessly.
Likewise, in digital forensics, every case starts with a plan.
I focus on key areas like metadata, access logs, and file systems.
This methodical approach ensures I’m both thorough and efficient, much like a skilled hunter who knows the best spots to search.
Knowing What to Ignore
Let’s be honest: when you’re hunting for shark teeth, you spend most of your time walking past things that aren’t teeth.
Shells, rocks, and driftwood can all be distractions. But once you’ve developed a trained eye, you instinctively know what’s worth picking up and what isn’t.
Yes, yes… I get fooled a little here and there when I think I’ve got something good just to find it’s a smooth, shiny, black shell. But most of the time, I don’t even bend over to check those out. I already know.
The same goes for digital forensics. Not every file or message is relevant to the case. Again, yes, I will pause to look a little deeper sometimes, but I’ll look past the weeds most of the time.
A big part of my job is filtering out the noise so I can zero in on the important pieces.
Just like the beach is full of debris, a phone or computer contains countless bits of data; most of which are irrelevant.
The trick is knowing what to look for and what to leave behind.
Every Find Has a Story
Each shark tooth you find on the beach is a tiny piece of history.
It tells you about the creatures that roamed the ocean millions of years ago and gives you a connection to the distant past. Similarly, every piece of digital evidence tells a story.
I’ve seen how a single message, email, or location data can paint a vivid picture of events (who did what, when, where, and how).
It’s not just about the data itself but the story it reveals.
Whether it’s a fossil or a forensic discovery, each find helps piece together a bigger story, giving context to something larger than itself.
The Joy of the Hunt
At its core, both shark tooth hunting and digital forensics are about discovery; and I love them both.
They both require patience, attention to detail, and a relentless curiosity to find what others miss.
Whether I’m walking the shores of Topsail Island or combing through a hard drive, I’m chasing the same thrill: uncovering something hidden, understanding its significance, and connecting it to a bigger picture.
So next time you’re on the beach, look closely, you might just find a shark tooth.
And if you ever need help finding digital “shark teeth” in a case, you know who to call.
Eric Kelley is the founder of Mako Forensics and a seasoned digital forensic examiner with over 26 years of law enforcement experience. Specializing in mobile, computer, and vehicle forensics, Eric has conducted thousands of investigations and played a key role in high-profile cases. With a commitment to precision and objectivity, he helps attorneys, investigators, and businesses uncover the truth through expert forensic analysis.
Most of us have fallen into the rabbit hole of short videos on our phones. It usually starts with a quick clip from some documentary, then another one pops up, then another, and before long twenty minutes (...or two hours) have disappeared.
Every now and then, one of those clips pulls you into a moment that shaped the entire country. A shaky recording. A grainy camera. A video that changed the world before most of us were born.
It makes you think. We have the most advanced technology humanity has ever created sitting in our pockets, yet some of the most important evidence in American history was captured on cameras that would struggle to compete with a child’s toy today.
The world of digital evidence has changed faster than most courts, or attorneys, realize. Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of what’s real, and the legal system is struggling to catch up.
At Mako Forensics, we live in that gray zone where digital truth and synthetic fabrication collide. My background in law enforcement and forensic examination has taught me one thing above all: the truth doesn’t fear inspection.
But in the age of generative AI, “truth” now demands deeper inspection than ever before.
When “Is it real?” really matters: How to authenticate media in the age of AI
In my years in law enforcement and digital forensics I’ve learned a simple truth: evidence only matters if you can trust it.
It could be a phone video capturing a crash, a vehicle’s dashcam recording showing distracted driving, or a “surveillance” image someone has sent you; the integrity of the media can make or break a case.
Today we face a new challenge: content not just being manipulated, but wholly generated by artificial intelligence.
So the question becomes: how do you know the media is real? How do you know it hasn’t been AI-generated or altered in a way that undermines its value? Plainly put... is it freakin' real or not?
Home > Our Blog > Shark Teeth, Digital Forensics, and the Art of Discovery
Shark Teeth, Digital Forensics, and the Art of Discovery
If you’ve ever walked along the beaches of Topsail Island, North Carolina, you’ve probably seen folks scouring the sand with their heads down, searching for a treasure that’s as rare as it is ancient; shark teeth. And one of those folks could have been me.
This isn’t just a casual pastime; it’s an art form that requires patience, a sharp eye, and the ability to spot patterns in chaos.
Funny enough, this pastime reminds me of my work as a digital forensic examiner and is one of the reasons Mako Forensics got its name.
The methods and persistence required to uncover shark teeth mirror the skills I use every day when digging through digital evidence.
Let me show you how these two seemingly unrelated worlds overlap.
Spotting that Needle in the Haystack
Well, not exactly a needle or a haystack. But I figured I’d use an analogy most people have heard before.
Whether you’re combing through sand or a mobile phone, success starts with recognizing the things that stand out. You’ve got to ask yourself, “What doesn’t belong here?”
On the beach, a shark tooth can hide among thousands of shells and trillions of grains of sand.
Most people walk right past it, not even realizing what they’ve missed.
The same is true in digital forensics. A seemingly mundane timestamp or a hidden file might hold the key to unraveling an entire case.
Take it from someone who’s done both: it’s about training your eye to notice what doesn’t belong.
In my line of work, I sift through an overwhelming amount of data (emails, files, logs) until I spot the “tooth” I’m after.
That small detail, like a shark tooth’s distinctive triangle shape, can make all the difference.
Ah Yes, the Power of Patience
If you’ve ever searched for shark teeth, you know it’s not something that happens quickly. It takes time… and I mean lots of time! You could go hours upon hours or even days and with no guarantee of finding anything.
The same is true of digital forensics. Devices and computers hold millions of data points, and most of them lead nowhere. But rushing through data leads to missed details, so you have to stay calm and methodical.
There have been numerous investigations where days of combing through a device finally revealed a deleted text message or one photo that changed everything.
That moment is like finding a pristinely preserved tooth on the shoreline after hours of searching; small but deeply rewarding!
Method Man
No, I’m not talking about the rapper. Experienced shark tooth hunters know where and when to look. They must use a method to find exactly what they are looking for.
They study the tides, the patterns of the waves, and even the types of beaches where teeth are more likely to be found. They don’t just wander aimlessly.
Likewise, in digital forensics, every case starts with a plan.
I focus on key areas like metadata, access logs, and file systems.
This methodical approach ensures I’m both thorough and efficient, much like a skilled hunter who knows the best spots to search.
Knowing What to Ignore
Let’s be honest: when you’re hunting for shark teeth, you spend most of your time walking past things that aren’t teeth.
Shells, rocks, and driftwood can all be distractions. But once you’ve developed a trained eye, you instinctively know what’s worth picking up and what isn’t.
Yes, yes… I get fooled a little here and there when I think I’ve got something good just to find it’s a smooth, shiny, black shell. But most of the time, I don’t even bend over to check those out. I already know.
The same goes for digital forensics. Not every file or message is relevant to the case. Again, yes, I will pause to look a little deeper sometimes, but I’ll look past the weeds most of the time.
A big part of my job is filtering out the noise so I can zero in on the important pieces.
Just like the beach is full of debris, a phone or computer contains countless bits of data; most of which are irrelevant.
The trick is knowing what to look for and what to leave behind.
Every Find Has a Story
Each shark tooth you find on the beach is a tiny piece of history.
It tells you about the creatures that roamed the ocean millions of years ago and gives you a connection to the distant past. Similarly, every piece of digital evidence tells a story.
I’ve seen how a single message, email, or location data can paint a vivid picture of events (who did what, when, where, and how).
It’s not just about the data itself but the story it reveals.
Whether it’s a fossil or a forensic discovery, each find helps piece together a bigger story, giving context to something larger than itself.
The Joy of the Hunt
At its core, both shark tooth hunting and digital forensics are about discovery; and I love them both.
They both require patience, attention to detail, and a relentless curiosity to find what others miss.
Whether I’m walking the shores of Topsail Island or combing through a hard drive, I’m chasing the same thrill: uncovering something hidden, understanding its significance, and connecting it to a bigger picture.
So next time you’re on the beach, look closely, you might just find a shark tooth.
And if you ever need help finding digital “shark teeth” in a case, you know who to call.
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