The Beringian wolf (an unnamed subspecies of Canis lupus) lived during the last Ice

Age in what is now Alaska, the Yukon, and northern Wyoming. The wolf was more
robust, with stronger jaws and teeth, than other Late Pleistocene gray wolves and
the comparably sized modern Yukon wolf (Canis lupus pambasileus), but not as strong
as the dire wolf. The unique adaptation of the skull and dentition of the Beringian
wolf allowed it to produce relatively large bite forces, grapple with large
struggling prey, and therefore to predate and scavenge on Pleistocene megafauna.
The wolf has been comprehensively studied, yielding new information on the prey
species and feeding behavior of prehistoric wolves. The Beringian wolf preyed most
often on horse and steppe bison, and also on caribou, mammoth, and woodland musk
ox. The species survived well into the Holocene before its extinction at the close
of the Ice Age, when cold and dry conditions abated and much of its prey also went
extinct. The remains of ancient wolves with similar skulls and dentition have been
found in western Beringia (north-east Siberia). (Full article...)
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Did you know...

Hoysala emblem
Hoysala emblem
... that in Hoysala architecture, the emblem of the empire a warrior stabbing a
lion is often sculpted on the sukanasa of Hindu temples (example pictured)?
... that Harimia Ahmed was the first female lawyer in the Comoros?
... that Lake Cahuilla, with a maximum surface area of 5,700 square kilometres
(2,200 sq mi), covered parts of Southern California less than 500 years ago?
... that Hari Kondabolu's documentary The Problem with Apu started as a one-minute
comedy bit?
... that Colorado businesswoman and philanthropist Merle Chambers is one of the top
ten political contributors in her state?
... that parts of the Colombian mushroom Boletus pyrrhosceles turn blue when
damaged?
... that in 1995, Nigerian activist Sokari Ekine set up the Black Sisters Network
electronic mailing list?
... that A. R. "Babe" Schwartz fought to have the Westgate Tower condemned in the
Texas Legislature, only to move into the building himself fifteen years later?
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In the news

Slobodan Praljak in 2013

Slobodan Praljak
Former Bosnian Croat army general Slobodan Praljak (pictured) dies from drinking
poison after his conviction for war crimes is upheld by the ICTY.
In sumo, yokozuna Harumafuji Kohei retires amidst investigations into an assault on
fellow wrestler Takanoiwa Yoshimori.
Indonesian officials order the evacuation of 100,000 people in Bali due to the
eruption of Mount Agung.
In Canadian football, the Toronto Argonauts defeat the Calgary Stampeders to win
the Grey Cup.
At least 305 people are killed in a terrorist attack on a mosque in Bir al-Abed,
Egypt.
Recent deaths: Jim Nabors Rance Howard Miguel Alfredo Gonzlez
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On this day...

December 1: World AIDS Day

Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
1577 Elizabeth I of England's principal secretary and spymaster Francis
Walsingham was knighted.
1822 Pedro I was formally crowned the first Emperor of Brazil, seven weeks after
his reign began on his 24th birthday.
1955 In a key event in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks
(pictured) was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a white
man in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
1959 Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, the first arms control
agreement established during the Cold War, banning military activity in the
Antarctic and setting the continent aside as a scientific preserve.
1991 Over 92% of Ukrainian voters approved their country's independence as
declared by the Ukrainian parliament on 24 August.
Saint Eligius (d. 660) Marie Tussaud (b. 1761) Masao Horiba (b. 1924)
More anniversaries: November 30 December 1 December 2
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From today's featured list

Part of A New Account of the Tales of the World

Part of A New Account of the Tales of the World
Chinese books represent about one fourth of the 223 National Treasures of Japan in
the category "writings". The term National Treasure has been used in Japan to
denote cultural properties since 1897, although the definition and the criteria
have changed since the introduction of the term. The items are selected by the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their
"especially high historical or artistic value". Written language was introduced to
Japan around 400 AD in the form of Chinese books written in Classical Chinese.
Japanese interest in Chinese writings and culture gradually increased towards the
end of the 6th century when Japanese rulers sent missions to the mainland for
cultural studies, and to bring back books. During circa 300 years in the Sui and
Tang Dynasties, a large number of Chinese books were brought to Japan. By the 8th
century, Chinese works were customarily copied at Japanese libraries to satisfy the
demand for education of the male aristocracy. (Full list...)