The genus Deinocheirus (Greek for "horrible hand") was a dinosaur that
lived during the Late Cretaceous around 70 million years ago. In 1965
its shoulder girdles and a pair of large arms (pictured) were first
discovered in the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia, and in 2014 two complete
specimens were described. Deinocheirus was the largest ornithomimosaur
(ostrich dinosaur), at 11 m (36 ft) long, and weighed 6.36 t
(14,000 lb), although it had many hollow bones. The arms were among the
largest of any bipedal dinosaurs at 2.4 m (7.9 ft) long, with large,
blunt claws on its three-fingered hands. The legs were relatively short,
and bore blunt claws. Its vertebrae had tall spines that formed a sail
along its back. The skull was 1.024 m (3.36 ft) long, with a wide bill
and a deep lower jaw. Deinocheirus is thought to have been omnivorous;
its skull shape indicates a diet of plants, and fish scales were found
with one specimen. It probably used gastroliths to grind food. The large
claws may have been used for digging and gathering plants. Bite marks on
Deinocheirus bones have been attributed to the tyrannosaurid
Tarbosaurus.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinocheirus>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1745:
War of the Austrian Succession: The French victory in the
Battle of Melle enabled their subsequent capture of Ghent.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Melle>
1811:
British explorer David Thompson posted a notice at the
confluence of the Columbia and Snake Rivers (in modern Washington state,
US), claiming the area for Great Britain.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Thompson_(explorer)>
1943:
World War II: The Allies began their invasion of Sicily, a
large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of
land combat.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily>
1981:
Nintendo released the arcade game Donkey Kong, which featured
the debut of Mario, one of the most famous characters in video game
history.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario>
2008:
Under the belief that Israel and the United States were
planning to attack its nuclear programme, Iran conducted the Great
Prophet III missile test and war games exercise.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Prophet_III>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
obeah:
1. A form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa and
practised in parts of the Caribbean.
2. A magician or witch doctor of the magic craft.
3. A spell performed in the practice of the magic craft; an item associated
with such a spell.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/obeah>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
In every nation thou beholdest unnumbered spiritual leaders who
are bereft of true discernment, and among every people thou dost
encounter myriads of adherents who are devoid of the same
characteristic. Ponder for a while in thy heart, have pity on thyself
and turn not aside thine attention from proofs and evidences. However,
seek not proofs and evidences after thine idle fancy; but rather base
thy proofs upon what God hath appointed. Moreover, know thou that
neither being a man of learning nor being a follower is in itself a
source of glory. If thou art a man of learning, thy knowledge becometh
an honour, and if thou art a follower, thine adherence unto leadership
becometh an honour, only when these conform to the good-pleasure of God.
--The Báb
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/B%C3%A1b>