When I look at deinotherium, I like to imagine that it existed at a special point of divergence on the evolutionary timeline; half of them went on to become elephants while the others eventually became Bruce Forsyth. There are few things so grey, wrinkly and with such oddly proportioned facial features in the animal kingdom (I'm talking about deinotherium again now, not Brucie) and the placement of those tusks looks so bizarre when compared to other creatures we know and love. In fact, palaeontologists aren't entirely sure as to what they were even designed for. It's certainly hard to imagine the males using them to spar with each other. To jab someone with one of those things you'd have to have your head tilted so far back that you'd only be able to see the sky. And heaven help you and your jugular if you were to look too far down at the ground. One theory speculates that deinotherium would use its chin tusks to dig through soil, unearthing tasty roots and stalks. Alternatively, the tusks may have been used to hook over branches and break off vegetation. In any case, I think it's safe to say that the most significant use deinotherium ever got out of its ridiculous grill was securing a place on a WhatCulture list for looking like an idiot.
Peter Austin initially joined WhatCulture as an occasional contributor to our Film, Gaming and Science sections, but made the mistake of telling us that he'd been making videos in his bedroom for over a decade. Since then he's been a vital member of our YouTube team and routinely sets the standard for smart-casual wear in the office.
