10-year-old boy stumbles over 1.2 million-year-old fossil in desert

Who would have thought a misstep would lead to a discovery of fossilized tusk of a 1.2 million-year-old elephant-like creature, known as stegomastodon.

Ten-year-old Jude Sparks gave the world a prehistoric marvel when he stumbled over the fossil during a desert hike in Las Cruces in November. 

The family contacted New Mexico State University professor Peter Houde, and he and a team from the university spent a week digging up the skull in May after getting permission from the landowner.

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According to the estimates the entire skull weighs about a ton and Houde expects the university to put the skull on exhibit after it's studied and reconstructed, which could take years.