The four heads of John the Baptist

 

HOT FLASHES CURE? VIEW ONLINE

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.

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?

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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

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

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+ TEAM WORK

PHOTO OF THE DAY

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!

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