Babcock Family Forum

For hundreds of years the purpose of the tusk on the narwhal, or "unicorn" whale, has stumped scientists and Inuit elders alike. It is an evolutionary mystery that defies many of the known principles of mammalian teeth.

"Now that we know the sensory capabilities of the tusk, we can design new experiments to describe some of the unique and unexplained behaviors of this elusive and extraordinary whale," Nweeia said.

Because of their physical structure, the tusks are both strong and flexible?an eight-foot-long tusk can yield one foot in any direction without breaking. For this reason, researchers are currently investigating narwhal tusks for practical insight into ways of improving restorative dental materials.

This is exactly why I'm not a marine biologist.