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Cranial remains of the Bonn–Oberkassel dog

The Bonn–Oberkassel dog was a Late Paleolithic (c. 12,000 BCE) dog whose partial skeletal remains were found buried alongside two humans in Bonn, Germany. Initially identified as a wolf upon its discovery in 1914, its remains were separated and lost within the University of Bonn's collections. These were reunited in the late 1970s, and the animal was re-identified as an early domestic dog and dated to the Late Glacial Interstadial. It likely suffered and survived canine distemper as a puppy, a disease with an almost 100-percent fatality rate in wild dogs and wolves. The puppy's survival likely required intensive care from humans, including food, water, and regular cleaning. This may show a close emotional bond between the humans and the dog, and possibly that it was regarded as a pet – perhaps by the humans it was buried alongside. The dog died aged around 7.5 months for unclear reasons; it may have died from natural causes, or have been sacrificed to be buried alongside the humans. (Full article...)

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Footage of the 2022 Andover tornado

... that the 2022 Andover tornado (video featured) injured only three people, despite damaging more than 1,000 buildings?
... that Dithapelo Keorapetse was named Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana shortly after losing his bid for election to the legislature?
... that the 1962 space-age pop album Latin-esque was recorded with halves of the orchestra separated by almost a city block to heighten its stereo effects?
... that Bob Gandey founded a circus that continues to be operated by his descendants more than a century later?
... that Hudson's Bay Company ships reserved special rooms for important Lower Chehalis visitors due to their key role in regional trade networks?
... that referee Mike Hasenfratz acted in an ice hockey fight in Stay Tuned?
... that Planting a Rainbow has been praised for both its "deft use of colors" and the educational identification of seeds, bulbs, sprouts, and blossoms?
... that David Bookbinder was Margaret Thatcher's "least favourite local government leader"?
... that entitativity refers to how "groupy" a group is?

In the news

Launch of SpaceX Starship

SpaceX Starship, the most powerful rocket to date, is launched (pictured) from Texas and destroyed almost four minutes into the flight.
At least 90 people are killed and 322 others are injured in a crowd crush in Sanaa, Yemen.
The wreckage of Montevideo Maru, a Japanese vessel sunk by the US during World War II with over 1000 captive Australian nationals onboard, is discovered in the South China Sea.

On this day

December 23: Night of the Radishes in Oaxaca City, Mexico; Festivus

Vincent van Gogh

1776 – American Revolutionary War: American troops, overwhelmed by British reinforcements, retreated from the Battle of Iron Works Hill.
1888 – During a bout of mental illness, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (pictured) severed part of his left ear and gave it to a woman in a brothel in Arles, France.
1916 – First World War: Allied forces gained a strategic victory at the Battle of Magdhaba on the Sinai Peninsula.
1957 – Leading the Australia national cricket team, Ian Craig became the youngest-ever Test cricket captain at the time.
2008 – The Guinean military engineered a coup d'état, announcing that it planned to rule the country for two years prior to a new presidential election.

Carl Gustaf Wrangel (b. 1613)
Dost Mohammad Khan (b. 1792)
Carla Bruni (b. 1967)
Chryssa (d. 2013)

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TARDIS in "The Church on Ruby Road", the 2023 Christmas special

Since 2005, nineteen Christmas or New Year's special episodes have aired on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. During its original run, from 1963 to 1989, episodes were occasionally broadcast over holiday periods, but rarely made mention of the holidays. When Doctor Who was revived in 2005, special Christmas episodes were produced yearly until 2017. From 2019 to 2022, the series transitioned to New Year's Day specials instead, returning to Christmas specials in 2023. The holiday episodes have proved to be a success with viewers, bringing in larger viewing figures than regular episodes. Doctor Who revolves around an alien known as the Doctor, who travels with a companion in a time and space machine called the TARDIS (pictured). A twentieth special, "Joy to the World", is set to be released on 25 December 2024. (Full list...)

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Picture of the day

Europa Clipper is a space probe developed by NASA and scheduled for launch in October 2024. The largest spacecraft NASA has built for a planetary mission, Europa Clipper is designed to study Jupiter's moon Europa through a series of flybys while in orbit around Jupiter, with the goals of exploring Europa, investigating its habitability, and aiding in the selection of a landing site for the future Europa Lander. It is expected to reach its destination in 2030. This photograph shows a commemorative plate, 7 by 11 inches (18 by 28 centimeters) in size and made of tantalum, that is attached to the outside of the space probe to seal an entrance to a vault designed to protect the electronics from Jupiter's radiation. The outer face of the plate, pictured here, is etched with waveforms of audio recordings of the word water translated into 103 languages, radiating outwards from a representation of the American Sign Language sign for the same word. The inner face of the plate features a work by the American poet Ada Limón.Photograph credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech; photographed by Ryan Lannom

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