A team of Pakistani researchers claims to have unearthed a 1.1mn-year-old stegodon tusk in the central province of Punjab, potentially shedding new light on the mammal’s evolutionary journey. Stegodons, distant cousins of modern elephants, are thought to have been present on earth from around 11mn years ago until the late Pleistocene period, which lasted until the end of the last Ice Age around 11,700 years ago.  The tusk measures some eight feet in length and is around eight inches in diameter, making it the largest ever discovered in the country, according to the team. This handout photograph taken on January 17, 2016 and released by the University of Punjab showsthe stegodon tusk at the discovery site at Padri village in Jhelum district.