How a narwhal’s 10-foot tooth stays straight has puzzled scientists for years
Scientists have used advanced 3D X-ray technology at particle accelerators to solve the mystery of how narwhal tusks grow straight despite their spiral structure. The study revealed that the tusk's inner dentin and outer cementum form spirals in opposite directions, which balance each other out.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a rare molecular explanation for a unique biological phenomenon, showcasing how interdisciplinary research can decode complex natural structures.
A unicorn may be a mythical creature, but nature made something very similar under the Arctic ice. Wondering what? Well, the narwhal has a strange tusk that can reach nearly 10 feet long from the animal’s head, erupting from its upper lip in a bizarre display that has intrigued people for centuries. Now, scientists have worked out a molecular explanation for one of its oddest features: how a tusk that twists as it grows can remain surprisingly straight. According to a study published by Phys Org, narwhals have one prominent tusk, usually found in males. The fact is that it is a canine tooth that grows through the jaw and upper lip and the corresponding right canine usually remains embedded inside the head. The tusk may grow to a length of some three meters (10 feet).
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