Tusks are modified front incisors in the upper jaw that grow continuously during an elephant's life, and so presumably during that of a mammoth. The hidden part in the upper jaw contains the root and pulp that extends into the upper portion of the tusk. Growth of the tusk occurs at the pulp/root of the tusk, depositing new material in a solid cylinder and pushing the existing tusk material forward. If the tusk is broken without damaging the pulp closer to the head end, then the tusk will continue growing. With mammoths, growth of the tusk was between 2.5 cm to 17 cm per year, suggesting that the tusk from this individual was about 4 years old.
Closer inspection of the tusk showed the gentle tendency to spiral so typical for Mammoths. Looking down at the root end, the layers of dentine were thick enough to see the criss-crossing pattern in cross-section, called 'engine turning'. With elephant ivory, the pattern shows an obtuse angle. In this tusk, the pattern had the more acute angle typical of mammoth ivory, as I was able to demonstrate to the Mayor of Godmanchester. This was the second time we met as he also stopped to chat with us at the HBN stand earlier in the week at Wood Green.
Jane was particularly chuffed to see that the game that she had designed for my Norris mammoth exhibition a couple of years ago was still in use.
I videoed two impromptu interviews of Hannah from the Norris and curator Kate plus two volunteers from the Porch Museum. They were edited and unploaded to YouTube
Brexit news did make the headlines today, when several newspapers and organisations picked up an article by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Sonntag. it was an alternative narrative of the conversation between Prime Minister Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker plus EU Negotiator Michel Barnier. It implied a lack of preparation and realistic assessment of the issues of Brexit on the UK's side and possibly a cross-cultural mis-communication. It was said that Juncker talked to Germany's Chancellor Merkel prior to her warning speech to the German parliament with the comment about some on the UK having illusions about the difficulties they would in reality encounter.
From both the Prime Minister's responses (on the one hand, this was not the case and on the other that it is evidence of the hard negotiations ahead) and the right wing press (e.g. Andrew Pierce of the Daily Mail, on Sky press review), it is clear that we are now into the jingoistic, name calling, derisory posturing phase of the pre-Brexit negitations.
The news was knocked off the main headlines by Princess Charlotte photo by her mother prior to her second birthday
President Trump continues to surprise with his comments today that he would welcome a meeting with North Korea's President Kim Jong-un. The carrot to the stick of US muscle flexing? Or an inability to understand that he thereby lends power to legitimise the role of the North Korean leader, rewarding the latter's aggressive posturing? In an attempt to build on allies and support in the region, President Donald Trump invites Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte to visit, despite concerns about Duterte's appalling human rights record.
According to an exclusive by CNN, a White House internal memo stated that the "Let Girls Learn" program, which Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama started in 2015 would cease operation immediately, It was set up to enable education for adolescent girls in developing countries. Hours later, the White House released this response via spokeswoman Kelly Love:
"There have been no changes to the Let Girls Learn program. The Administration supports policies and programs to empower adolescent girls, including efforts to educate them through the completion of secondary school.We are committed to empowering women and girls around the world and are continuing to examine the best ways to do so."
So, storm in a teacup or policy change?
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