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WHERE THE WILD THINGS WERE

Thursday, May 18, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we examine the discovery of a 130 million-year-old dino; blame an English king for the 26.2 miles of a marathon ... and investigate whether early humans interbred with a ‘ghost population.’ Plus, how Chinese migrants re-shaped Vancouver.

a rendering of a spinosaur

IMAGE BY GRUP GUIX

Scientists have found a new species of spinosaur, the crocodile-jawed dino that caused a stir when researchers claimed that some of these giant carnivores hunted underwater.

The discovery, some of the earliest spinosaur bones, also points to their origins in prehistoric western Europe before spreading as far as what is now Morocco, Brazil, and Laos. (Above, an artist’s rendering.)

WHAT IS THIS THING?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

a human skull

PHOTOGRAPH BY REMI BENALI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Did early human interbreed with a ‘ghost’ population? (Above, DNA was extracted from skulls like this, found in central Turkey)

It works against opioids. Naltrexone, in low doses, is being tested to treat long COVID, too.

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Titanic was found during a secret Cold War Navy mission

Why is a marathon 26.2 miles? Blame an English king.

This village is run by women. Many breathless things have been written about it. Some of them are true.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

a chef serves his guests

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRENT STIRTON

Bushmeat debate: Eating wild meat—from monkeys to porcupines—has always been part of the Republic of the Congo’s culture. But this practice threatens wildlife populations—and can be dangerous for human health. One chef (photographed above by Nat Geo Explorer Brent Stirton) is working on a solution to preserve Congolese cuisine without harming the forests and animals within them.

MORE ABOUT BUSHMEAT

IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT ...

chefs cook vegetables in flaming woks

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRITZ HOFFMAN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Flames up: Just looking at this photo (from Nat Geo’s May 2008 magazine), you can feel the heat from the flaming woks as chefs-in-training prepare vegetables at a culinary school in the Chinese city of Hefei. Other dishes, like Peking duck, have complex histories—and cooking processes to match.

Related: How Chinese cuisine has shaped the city of Vancouver

A CHINESE CLASSIC

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

Temple of Kulkulkan

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEN WALSH VIA BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

The rest of the story: The fall of the Roman Empire rocked the fifth century in Europe, but other empires were on the rise worldwide, including Pre-Hispanic metropolises, a Western African kingdom, and a Central Asian trading route. This soaring temple is an iconic example. What country is it from?

A. Peru
B. Honduras
C. Mexico
D. Guatemala

CLICK HERE FOR THE ANSWER

Today’s soundtrack: Walking with a Ghost, Tegan and Sara

We hope this newsletter brightened your Thursday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Hannah Farrow, and Jen Tse. Have a story idea? Let us know here. Know a friend who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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