Monday, December 2, 2024

In today’s History newsletter, we discover secrets uncovered after Notre Dame burned, learn what else we know around the birth of Jesus, find Ozempic’s surprising side effect, examine the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie ... and remember three sisters who took down a dictator. Plus, what do Maui’s tattoos in Moana mean?

ALBUM 

How did we get three wise men, a manger, a bright star, a journey to Bethlehem? They are all in the Bible—but in different places. The varying accounts of the birth of Jesus give us clues to life at that time. And contradictions, too.

Related: 
--What archaeologists have found about the real Jesus
--What is Advent—and why do we mark it with treat-filled calendars?
--How did Jesus’ parents become a couple? Here’s what biblical scholars say. 

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY DENIS GLIKSMAN, INRAP 

JOHN GREIM/AGE FOTOSTOCK 

New research looks at wayward canines and their ability to find their way home. What’s one recent hypothesis? 

A. Can read maps
B. Coordinate with the sun’s position in the sky
C. Orient to the Earth’s magnetic field
D. Study the moss on tree trunk

Related: What’s the difference between a mutt and a designer dog?
Also: Dog DNA tests are on the rise. But are they reliable?

Today’s Soundtrack: I Think I Need a New Heart, Magnetic Fields 

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter, and--if you missed it—here is yesterday’s Photo of the Week. Don’t miss our adventures in the future; sign up here. David Beard edited and curated this issue; Alisher Egamov produced it.