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Narwhal Tusks are Sensory Organs

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the not-always-about-knocking-things-over dept.

PR0UD_INFIDEL writes "The New York Times is reporting that a recent study has determined that Narwhal tusks are not for fighting or breaking through ice, but are highly sensitive sensory organs. From the article: 'The close-ups showed that 10 million nerve endings tunnel from the tusk's core toward its outer surface, [and can] detect subtle changes of temperature, pressure, particle gradients and probably much else.'"

8 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. Save the whales... by iced_tea · · Score: 5, Funny

    Redeem them for valuable prizes.

  2. I knew it. by Atario · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're antennae! Narwhals are the contacts for the aliens! Where's my tinfoil...

    --
    "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
  3. Particle Gradient FYI by joey_knisch · · Score: 5, Informative

    I had to search a bit but apparently this is when the amount of particles contained in a substrate changes with respect to distance and the distribution follows a pattern.

    Source: here is the sight that made me understand.

    This is all my speculation but I imagine this would be quite useful for narwhales since they live in a food deprived environment and could sense if they were getting closer to nutrient rich waters.

  4. Me too by SpaceAdmiral · · Score: 5, Funny

    My "highly sensitive sensory organ" is about the same size.

  5. Re:Fascinating by OneManCongaLine · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But why is it only the whale bulls (are male whales called bulls in english to?) that have these then? If they have a purpose beside assisting in reproduction, for fighting or impressing the females then why would not the females also have them?

    --
    -Queen of the Kung-Fu fairies
  6. Narwhal, not Narwhale by parkov · · Score: 5, Informative

    Does anybody proofread these submissions?

  7. Really? You're the same as a male narwhal? by dreadpiratemark · · Score: 5, Funny

    While you're comparing yourself to a male narwhal, do you also do this (from TFA): "[the] tactile sense might explain why...two males gently rub tusks together"?

  8. Re:Really? You're the same as a male narwhal? by DarthVain · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey what happens under the ice.... STAYS under the ice!