National Geographic | National Geographic

National Geographic

THE SAINT WITH FOUR HEADS

Thursday, September 14, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we question why John the Baptist has four heads, talk to experts about one key reason for the new COVID booster, marvel at the magnificence of the James Webb Space Telescope ... and commemorate poached elephants with a skull monument.

Salome receives the head of John the Baptist in this early 17th century painting by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. In the Bible, Herod Antipas ordered the Christian preacher beheaded for criticizing his marriage to Salome's mother. The whereabouts of his skull remain a mystery.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DEAGOSTINI, GETTY IMAGES

He baptized Jesus. The holy man by the Jordan River, a cousin to the carpenter from Nazareth, later was ordered beheaded (the head, depicted above).

But where is John the Baptist’s head? In Rome? Damascus? Munich? Northern France?

Each place says it has the real head—and each has twisty tales of provenance.

WHERE IS JOHN THE BAPTIST?

Unlock this article with Nat Geo Premium! Get access now to exclusive stories, plus a century of archives, photos, and videos. See subscription options starting at just $19/yr.

The alleged head of John the Baptist is on display at the Residenz Museum in Munich.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ZHANNA TRETIAKOVA, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

A head on a pillow: This alleged head of John the Baptist is on display at the Residenz Museum in Munich. Read more.

Go deeper:
—The extraordinary conception of John the Baptist
—What archaeologists have learned about the real Jesus

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

For the first time, and for only 72 hours, the full observatory is assembled with the mirrors deployed in their open position—21 feet, 4 inches in diameter—and attached to the sun shield. The mirrors had to fold to fit into the Ariane 5 rocket, which launched the telescope into space.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS GUNN

What the building of the world’s powerful space telescope looked like Related: How it is rewriting our view of the universe (above, the full observatory is assembled)

Forgotten what to do if you get sick with COVID? Here’s a refresher.

The case for getting this new COVID vaccine. Step one: stop the cycle of reinfection.

This exercise phenomenon was born in a prisoner-of-war camp

Is it possible to cure hot flashes? We may be getting closer.

People may be ingesting what doctors refer to as ‘potentially inappropriate medications.’ Are you?

NASA is preparing to explore alien worlds—by investigating Earth’s dark corners

Who was the onetime Milwaukee schoolteacher who led Israel through war?

Did Lizzie Borden get away with murder? Inside the crime of the 19th century.

Are you drinking water all wrong? Here’s what you need to know about hydrating.

Meet the dog who can find rare sea turtle nests at a shocking success rate

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Speeding toward a seal, orcas rotate to their sides in unison. The momentum will create a large wave that may be powerful enough to wash the seal off the ice floe.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BERTIE GREGORY

Hunting in the sea: They’re hungry—and they’re working together to eat. Speeding like battleships toward a seal resting on ice, three orcas above rotate to their sides in unison. This momentum should create a large wave powerful enough to wash the seal off the ice—and into the orcas’ mouths.

Watch: Animals Up Close with Bertie Gregory on Disney+

PHOTO OF THE DAY

At an environmental center in southern Niassa, Mozambique, a ranger adds to a pyramid of elephant skulls that form a memorial to the thousands of animals lost to the fever of poaching in the region in the 2010s. Niassa’s elephants suffered calamitous losses in the 2010s, when criminal syndicates targeted East Africa’s largest herds for their ivory. Elephants here have been recovering slowly since 2018, although few big tuskers remain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS PESCHAK

Stopping elephant poaching: A pyramid of elephant skulls stands as a memorial to the thousands of animals lost to poaching in southern Mozambique in the 2010s. Elephants are prized for their ivory, and their population has been recovering slowly—although few big tuskers remain.

WILDERNESS RECOVERY

Today’s soundtrack: Easy, Real Estate

We hope this newsletter brightened your Thursday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and Jen Tse. Know someone who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

Clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and National Geographic Channel links will take you away from our National Geographic Partners site where different terms of use and privacy policy apply.

This email was sent to: [email protected]. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored.

This email contains an advertisement from:
National Geographic | 1145 17th Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036

Stop all types of future commercial email from National Geographic regarding its products, services, or experiences.

Manage all email preferences with the Walt Disney Family of Companies.

© 2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC, All rights reserved.