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Ohmdenosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic epoch in what is now Germany. The only known specimen (pictured) – a tibia (shinbone) and ankle – was discovered in rocks of the Posidonia Shale near the village of Ohmden. The specimen is exhibited in a local museum, where, in the 1970s, the German palaeontologist Rupert Wild recognised it as the remains of a sauropod. One of the earliest known sauropods, Ohmdenosaurus was quadrupedal (four-legged) and already had the columnar limbs typical for the group. It was small for a sauropod, with an estimated length of 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft). Its relationships to other sauropods remain uncertain due to the incompleteness of its remains. The Posidonia Shale was deposited within a shallow inland sea. Ohmdenosaurus was a terrestrial animal, so the specimen must have been transported by predators or water currents at least 100 km (62 mi) from the shoreline to its site of burial. It is the only dinosaur fossil known from the shale. (Full article...)
Did you know ...
- ... that art historian Zehava Jacoby was able to suggest a reconstruction of the lost tomb of Baldwin V of Jerusalem, destroyed in an 1808 fire, using an 18th-century drawing (pictured) by Elzear Horn?
- ... that The Math Myth advocates for American high schools to stop requiring advanced algebra?
- ... that Japanese costume designer Satomi Ito has created costumes for figure skating, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, equestrian vaulting, ballet, and ballroom dance?
- ... that a founder of a New Zealand ice cream company was previously an investment banker?
- ... that Canadian singer Tate McRae is a trained ballet dancer and started her musical career by accident?
- ... that Turkish international soccer player Rojin Polat was named member of the "2021 All Schools Merit Girls Team" in New South Wales, Australia?
- ... that the Bishop of Brooklyn was "appalled" that the music video for "Feather", in which Sabrina Carpenter kills several men, was filmed in a church?
- ... that Zavodovski Island stinks?
In the news
- Baldur's Gate 3 wins game of the year at The Game Awards.
- At least 17 people are killed as Cyclone Michaung (satellite image shown) makes landfall in India.
- Amidst a diplomatic crisis with Guyana, Venezuela holds a referendum to advance its claim to the disputed Guayana Esequiba region.
- A bombing at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Philippines, kills four people.
- Mount Marapi erupts on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, killing 23 hikers.
On this day
December 9: International Anti-Corruption Day
- 1688 – In the only substantial military action in England during the Glorious Revolution, forces loyal to William of Orange were decisively victorious in the Battle of Reading.
- 1897 – French actress, journalist and leading suffragette Marguerite Durand founded the feminist newspaper La Fronde.
- 1948 – The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Genocide Convention, which defines genocide in legal terms and advises its signatories to prevent and punish such actions.
- 1968 – Douglas Engelbart gave what became known as "The Mother of All Demos", publicly debuting the computer mouse (pictured), hypertext, and the bit-mapped graphical user interface using the oN-Line System (NLS).
- 2008 – Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich was arrested for a number of corruption crimes, including attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat that was being vacated by then-President-elect Barack Obama.
- Joseph Desha (b. 1768)
- Fritz Haber (b. 1868)
- Alister Murdoch (b. 1912)
- Eliane Morissens (d. 2006)
Today's featured picture
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Hibiscus moscheutos, commonly known by various names including rose mallow and swamp rose-mallow, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a cold-hardy perennial wetland plant that can grow in large colonies. The hirsute leaves are of variable morphology, but are commonly deltoidal in shape with up to three lobes. It is found in wetlands and along the riverine systems of the eastern United States from Texas to the Atlantic states, its territory extending northward to southern Ontario, Canada. It is a tall plant, with a height of 1.5 to 2.5 meters (4.9 to 8.2 ft) and flowers up to 20 centimeters (7.9 in) across. Petal colors range from pure white through various pinks to red, and most have an eye of deep maroon. These pink H. moscheutos flowers were photographed in Point Pelee National Park in Ontario. Photograph credit: The Cosmonaut
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