Have you ever looked in the eye of an elephant? There’s an ocean of calm staring back at you. And of course, there’s that legendary memory of theirs. But did you know that of all the extraordinary characteristics an elephant displays, perhaps the most unique and astonishing is its trunk? According to research by Rasmussen and Munger in 1996, the tip of the elephant’s trunk is packed with nerve endings that is the most sensitive tissue ever studied. Here’s one of my favorite videos showing the incredible dexterity of an elephant’s trunk. This is a Thai elephant where they’re revered.

And yes it is a trick of sorts, but remarkable nonetheless. (Can jumbo elephants really paint? . . .naturalist Desmond Morris sets out to find the truth)